I never saw this game discussed here, and I find it unacceptable, so I will write this.
TSWCE is one of my favourite adventure games of the late decade, among with the Kentucky Route Zero and The Norwood Suite. And (trigger warning) with the Disco Elysium. Let me explain.
What makes the game and the world adult, mature, serious (even if it fulls of bright colors and dragons). Not bleak setting, undead hordes and graphic violence, but clever understanding, what forces are actually unhuman, suffocating, devastating. Who is the real enemy.
I mean, of course, capitalist realism. In this short fantasy adventure (7-9 hours to complete) you are going to the quest of securing the house of the Druid, put up on sale because of debts and eventually you are becoming aware of the threat to the world of dreams, posed by the mad Demiurge with his "governor" minions and the deadly weapon of making everyone a debtor.
Magic Creatures who need to struggle for survive in the world that is gradually becoming colder and sharper, turning into the stone of "reality". This thread is running through the all works of William Blake who was obviously the heavy inspiration for the Land Of Dreams setting (even the Demiurge's name is Lord Urizen).
It's a simple adventure game with very alive and bright characters (and there's a punchline for every mushroom). There are no animations, just static hand-drawn screens and a LOT of text, very funny and sophisticated (with multiple references to Aleister Crowley, abovementioned Blake and different mythology, fantasy and RPG cliches). However, there are few surprises, just when you get used to "calm reading" mode.
Anyway, this is smart, funny, short and cheap game (relugarly set up for "free download" because author really hates capitalism). It is a biggest part of a cycle of short games set in the same universe. Official sequel, The Council Of Crows is in development hell for 8 years already, but someday we will probably play it.
Jonas Kyratzes, who wrote this game, also wrote The Talos Principle, Omegaland and (sigh) Serious Sam 4.
TSWCE is one of my favourite adventure games of the late decade, among with the Kentucky Route Zero and The Norwood Suite. And (trigger warning) with the Disco Elysium. Let me explain.
What makes the game and the world adult, mature, serious (even if it fulls of bright colors and dragons). Not bleak setting, undead hordes and graphic violence, but clever understanding, what forces are actually unhuman, suffocating, devastating. Who is the real enemy.
I mean, of course, capitalist realism. In this short fantasy adventure (7-9 hours to complete) you are going to the quest of securing the house of the Druid, put up on sale because of debts and eventually you are becoming aware of the threat to the world of dreams, posed by the mad Demiurge with his "governor" minions and the deadly weapon of making everyone a debtor.
Magic Creatures who need to struggle for survive in the world that is gradually becoming colder and sharper, turning into the stone of "reality". This thread is running through the all works of William Blake who was obviously the heavy inspiration for the Land Of Dreams setting (even the Demiurge's name is Lord Urizen).
It's a simple adventure game with very alive and bright characters (and there's a punchline for every mushroom). There are no animations, just static hand-drawn screens and a LOT of text, very funny and sophisticated (with multiple references to Aleister Crowley, abovementioned Blake and different mythology, fantasy and RPG cliches). However, there are few surprises, just when you get used to "calm reading" mode.
Anyway, this is smart, funny, short and cheap game (relugarly set up for "free download" because author really hates capitalism). It is a biggest part of a cycle of short games set in the same universe. Official sequel, The Council Of Crows is in development hell for 8 years already, but someday we will probably play it.
Jonas Kyratzes, who wrote this game, also wrote The Talos Principle, Omegaland and (sigh) Serious Sam 4.
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