Review [Quickie Nr. 005] Turgor, Tension, The Void Review

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Ice-Pick Lodge; Quickie; Tension; The Void; Turgor

While we're waiting for the next Gamescom report, let's insert a brief pentaquickie. With the fifth entry to our prestigious Quickie review series Konjad takes us on a voyage through Turgor, Tension, and The Void, different versions of a game published by Ice-Pick Lodge. Technically not an RPG the game nevertheless managed to win Konjad's affection.

The Void is the most unique and enjoyable game I have ever played. Visuals are astounding, the soundtrack is a delight, the gameplay is engaging and the dialogues are enchanting. Tension gives so much joy that after finishing one playthrough I instantly began another one to reach a different ending that is more difficult to achieve. I have an impression, however, that this game is not for everyone. Nonetheless, those who will be sucked into it will be held spellbound. To appreciate this game you must have an open mind towards unusual games, enjoy gloomy settings and imbibe poetry. In my opinion, whatever your taste in games is, Turgor deserves your time to give it an honest try. Do keep in mind, however, that it is one of the most difficult games I have ever played and the player is constantly faced with a challenge to stay alive and to cultivate enough colors for himself and for the sisters. I only completed the game successfully during my fourth playthrough, failing the first three attempts. This might discourage a lot of people considering most modern games are made to be completed without much difficulty in the very first try.

Is the game really that good or is Konjad just a young, impressionable nerd swayed by the female nudity in this game? Discuss!

Read the full article: [Quickie Nr. 005] Turgor, Tension, The Void Review

 

[Darth Roxor]

great job as always

 

[Feyd Rautha]

no steam version?

 

[J_C]

Ah, I remember this game when I reviewed games for a magazine. I gave it 65% and labeled it as an unoptimized mess which looks like shit, with gameplay issues.

Haha, come on, shoot me! I know you want to!

In all seriousness, for me this game is a prime example of "you don't get it" effect. I admit, I don't get this game.

 

[Konjad]

Ah, I remember this game when I reviewed games for a magazine. I gave it 65% and labeled it as an unoptimized mess which looks like shit, with gameplay issues.

Haha, come on, shoot me! I know you want to!

In all seriousness, for me this game is a prime example of "you don't get it" effect. I admit, I don't get this game.

Can't really blame you, IPL's games are odd, hence they are not liked by a lot of people, but at the same time they have their niche and a fanbase that totally loves them. Though personally I only like very much Pathologic and The Void, while I can't say much good about Cargo! and Knock-Knock... hence I'm a little worried about Pathologic's remake.

no steam version?

You cannot buy the game on Steam at this time being.

 

[Burning Bridges]

Nakit wymin.

 

[Forest Dweller]

In all seriousness, for me this game is a prime example of "you don't get it" effect. I admit, I don't get this game.

If "not getting it" means you don't want to fail the game because you didn't do something properly at the beginning which you couldn't have known about (i.e. early adventure game bad design), then yeah, I guess you could say you didn't get it. I also "didn't get it."

 

[Burning Bridges]

I also didn't get it. I can only remember that after a confusing intro I was thrown on an ugly, barren 3D scene surrounded by nothing, and had to collect paint.
Moreover I always had this nagging feeling that this game in fact came about as a chaotic mixture of 3d models and unrelated ideas, and then someone decided to make it into a game and call it art.

 

[Murk]

good game, good review

would brofist again

 

[J_C]

In all seriousness, for me this game is a prime example of "you don't get it" effect. I admit, I don't get this game.

If "not getting it" means you don't want to fail the game because you didn't do something properly at the beginning which you couldn't have known about (i.e. early adventure game bad design), then yeah, I guess you could say you didn't get it. I also "didn't get it."

Yeah, this also happened. I don't remember what, but I messed up some stuff in the beginning, and hours later I got into a situation where it was game over nomatter what I did.

 

[Kron]

Definitely an interesting game, played it several times just to sink into the depressing mood, probably will replay it in the near future, and I still listen to the soundtrack regularly.

Still it is a mixed bag for me; its strongest point is the visual design of certain areas, like specific chambers of the sisters and some of the gardens; and the soundtrack is also appropriately moody.

What I really can't stomach is the "poetic" writing. It's just total nonsense to me, and comes across as pretentious. Also the overarching theme and plot of the game puts me off, it has this general faggy feeling to it; instead of being some tortuous inner analysis of what consciousness and meaningful life is, it devolves into a cheap "love creates life" thing. And call me paranoid, but the fact that women are portrayed as the sole saviors and men as the evil destructive meanies, to me contributes to this faggy writing feeling. The game really makes no effort to disguise that the girls are the good ones and the brothers the evil ones, and it provides no real closure if you choose to "side" with the brothers. For a game that claims to be thematically and artistically mature, it really is a simplistic dichotomy.

Not trying to sound like a tryhard macho alpha, etc. But these themes are not what I would be interested in exploring in an existential game about life and death.

 

[agentorange]

In all seriousness, for me this game is a prime example of "you don't get it" effect. I admit, I don't get this game.

If "not getting it" means you don't want to fail the game because you didn't do something properly at the beginning which you couldn't have known about (i.e. early adventure game bad design), then yeah, I guess you could say you didn't get it. I also "didn't get it."

Yeah, this also happened. I don't remember what, but I messed up some stuff in the beginning, and hours later I got into a situation where it was game over nomatter what I did.

Yeah the game should have constant tutorial tips popping up and allow you to fuck up constantly with no punishment or consequences. Nice to see the codex earning its reputation.

I've never finished this game but I love it and one of the reasons I love it is because you can get into unwinnable situations.

 

[J_C]

In all seriousness, for me this game is a prime example of "you don't get it" effect. I admit, I don't get this game.

If "not getting it" means you don't want to fail the game because you didn't do something properly at the beginning which you couldn't have known about (i.e. early adventure game bad design), then yeah, I guess you could say you didn't get it. I also "didn't get it."

Yeah, this also happened. I don't remember what, but I messed up some stuff in the beginning, and hours later I got into a situation where it was game over nomatter what I did.

Yeah the game should have constant tutorial tips popping up and allow you to fuck up constantly with no punishment or consequences. Nice to see the codex earning its reputation.

I've never finished this game but I love it and one of the reasons I love it is because you can get into unwinnable situations.

Good for you, have fun with the game.

 

[agentorange]

I'll have fun with your mom.

 

[J_C]

I'll have fun with your mom.

You don't know what you don't know.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Definitely an interesting game, played it several times just to sink into the depressing mood, probably will replay it in the near future, and I still listen to the soundtrack regularly.

Still it is a mixed bag for me; it's strongest point is the visual design of certain areas, like specific chambers of the sisters and some of the gardens; and the soundtrack is also appropriately moody.

What I really can't stomach is the "poetic" writing. It's just total nonsense to me, and comes across as pretentious. Also the overarching theme and plot of the game puts me off, it has this general faggy feeling to it; instead of being some tortuous inner analysis of what consciousness and meaningful life is, it devolves into a cheap "love creates life" thing. And call me paranoid, but the fact that women are portrayed as the sole saviors and men as the evil destructive meanies, to me contributes to this faggy writing feeling. The game really makes no effort to disguise that the girls are the good ones and the brothers the evil ones, and it provides no real closure if you choose to "side" with the brothers. For a game that claims to be thematically and artistically mature, it really is a simplistic dichotomy.

Not trying to sound like a tryhard macho alpha, etc. But these themes are not what I would be interested in exploring in an existential game about life and death.

Yeah, it all feels like teenager bullshit. Or like the typical ruski game.
Nothing much interesting in the gameplay either.

overall meh 9/10 would fap again

 

[Leechmonger]

I think I liked it when it came out, but it strikes me as immensely pretentious now. I should replay it one day and see what I think of it now.

 

[Forest Dweller]

Yeah the game should have constant tutorial tips popping up and allow you to fuck up constantly with no punishment or consequences.

You're an idiot. Punishing you late-game for something you did early on =/= challenge.

Nice to see the codex earning its reputation.

I've never finished this game but I love it

Games are meant to be finished.

and one of the reasons I love it is because you can get into unwinnable situations.

And this is why you're a faggot.

 

[Konjad]

Yeah the game should have constant tutorial tips popping up and allow you to fuck up constantly with no punishment or consequences.

You're an idiot. Punishing you late-game for something you did early on =/= challenge.

Yeah, you should get consequences of your actions right away and not later, because it's confusing and difficult otherwise. Like Bioware who do it best, they are true geniuses of PC gaming. If you fuck up you just quickload and do it again until you get the best result. Anything else is an obvious turd!

I've never finished this game but I love it

Games are meant to be finished.

No, your mom is. Some of us actually like their hobbies and enjoy good games - including the challenge on the way - not just completing them like addicted junkies who just want to +1 their prestigious gaming experience. The Void was made to be enjoyed, and I enjoyed it the first three times even though I failed miserably until I actually learned how to play. Learning is part of the fun in this game, just like in many others. Do you also bitch how shit Dwarf Fortress is because you didn't win the game when you tried? Or that you didn't finish Crusader Kings 2 because not only you did not manage to conquer the whole world and convert everyone, but also you were thrown to prison, and died?

If people like their games casual and easy, fine, I can understand not everyone likes challenge. However, when you say something like "Games are meant to be finished" telling others their ways of enjoyment are wrong and games should be done to YOUR liking, because you are the only one who gets it right, then you are an idiot. I played D:OS three times but never actually finished it - even though the first time I reached the end boss. End fight was boring shit, so I just stopped playing. I could finish the game within 15 minutes, but it stopped being fun and I just stopped. Games are not meant to be finished, not for me at least, games are meant to be enjoyed.

and one of the reasons I love it is because you can get into unwinnable situations.

And this is why you're a faggot.

 

[Konjad]

it has this general faggy feeling to it; instead of being some tortuous inner analysis of what consciousness and meaningful life is, it devolves into a cheap "love creates life" thing. And call me paranoid, but the fact that women are portrayed as the sole saviors and men as the evil destructive meanies, to me contributes to this faggy writing feeling. The game really makes no effort to disguise that the girls are the good ones and the brothers the evil ones, and it provides no real closure if you choose to "side" with the brothers. For a game that claims to be thematically and artistically mature, it really is a simplistic dichotomy.

Not trying to sound like a tryhard macho alpha, etc. But these themes are not what I would be interested in exploring in an existential game about life and death.

Totally not my impression. First of all, I wouldn't attach any kind of 'love' to it, well, perhaps the nameless sister deserves it but then

Spoiler

she dies and resurrecting her requires metagaming, which is definitely not possible in the first playthrough

Hence I wouldn't say the theme of the game is about 'love'.

Women definitely are not portrayed as sole saviors and pure beings, they both create life and destroy it:

Spoiler

when a girl goes to the world above she actually kills everyone in the void

In addition, some of them lie to the player, this is definitely not something that could pass as a positive trait.

Bros, on the other hand, are quite honest and while they look like monstrosities, their characters certainly are very human - and they are very reasonable! They don't believe in the world above, instead they think sisters are just simply deluded (to simplify it... it actually gets a bit more complex later), which is the reason why they act and they do, and while some of them are certainly abusive towards sisters, others care for them a lot. They are as different from each other as sisters are.


But as I said in my review - the game is not straightforward and might be interpreted in many ways, which is why I think the discussion about who what why can be a long one and never reach a conclusion, because different people will see the same thing in different light.

 

[Grampy_Bone]

Ha ha, oh jeez, this fucking game. It's certainly unique.

 

[RK47]

Reviewer hasn't beaten Shiraoka so he doesn't know what he's talking about.

 

[Shadenuat]

Reviewer hasn't beaten Shiraoka so he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Mm, by the way,

neither did you.

 

[RK47]

You too.