Just like that classic joke.
When "great strength" is mixed in with a bunch of world-destroying superpowers, then we have to think carefully about just how great that strength really is.
The same principle applies to this game.
While many manufacturers are boasting about their graphics, gameplay design, sound effects, and other aspects.
This guy suddenly stood up and muttered something in the quietest, most inconspicuous voice:
I have a strong artistic sense.
Then, based on this, it reached a level comparable to, or even higher than, other works.
Just how artistic is it? That's a matter for discussion.
The game is essentially a 3D game, but due to the fixed 45-degree tilted perspective, it's technically unnecessary to go through such a complicated process.
The camera doesn't need to rotate, tilt, or use a first-person perspective.
In terms of map drawing, it can be completely understood as an oversized oil painting.
Only those things that need to move really require 3D modeling. Most of the time, the occlusion culling technique used in Biohazard can solve the problem.
The important thing is not to create 3D, but to make players feel that they have created 3D.
It is precisely because of this that Lin Lixin and his team were able to cram such a magnificent and massive work into a test version of a new optical disc with a capacity of less than 1GB.
Besides the paintings of the Peredvizhniki), the entire UI is also permeated with a Constructivist flavor.
This painting style, originating from the Soviet Union avant-garde movement in the early 20th century, perfectly complements the overall tone of the game.
The lines are simple, yet highly recognizable, clearly showing that the production team put a lot of thought into the interaction design.
Hidden behind this almost smeared artistry, it's not hard to see that the development team accurately positioned it as a game at its core.
"Why am I naked...?"
Bill felt somewhat helpless.
Even when I get out of prison, I'm still properly dressed, okay?
At first glance, a pair of yellow trousers lay sprawled on the ground beside him. Following the instructions on the packaging, he tried pressing the selection button.
Those pants immediately became the center of attention.
As he continued pressing, the highlighted items shifted among a large number of objects in the room.
Simply click "Confirm," and the main character will automatically go and interact with it.
This is so convenient!
This was especially true for players like Bill who had never seen a modern video game before.
In his time, people either played complex board games or Atari arcade games that only required one or two buttons.
This interactive mode, designed entirely from the player's perspective, is truly amazing.
The protagonist picked up the pants and immediately put them on.
[bite!]
[Highly Developed Hearing Senses] - [You hear a jingling sound! The keys are clinking in your crotch pocket!]
[1.]-[Take them out] The narrator's voice sounded, and then the game popped up a dialog box again.
This was far too familiar to Bill.
This is what the game looked like in his memory.
It is driven by extensive dialogue and choices.
He had just caught a glimpse of the game " Red Alert " that Benjamin and his friends were playing.
To be honest, this is really too much for his current capacity to accept.
While the game boasts impressive visuals, its gameplay style actually evokes a retro feel.
In this situation, despite the length of the text, it boils down to him discovering the keys in his pocket while putting on his pants.
Isn't this voice talking to itself simulating that kind of internal brainwave?
Since the game lacks a microscopic perspective, all details are presented through a massive amount of text.
He rambled on for a long time just about taking the keys out of his pocket.
This is Infocom's comfort zone. Traditional text Adventure games work this way, relying on text to supplement details and help players better immerse themselves in the game.
"The key to the Whirling-in-Rags No. 1..."
Bill read the text above and made a mental note of the strange name.
Unlike Benjamin, he wasn't in a hurry at all, and he didn't bombard him with tons of texts before the game even started.
Rather, it's more accurate to say that he's completely absorbed in it.
The long 20 years honed his extraordinary patience.
Reading is one of the few forms of entertainment available in prison.
And this patience did not disappoint him.
As Bill gradually became familiar with the game's controls, more and more surprises kept emerging.
What is this? Let's interact with it.
Can the tie hanging on this fan be taken down?
Hey, that actually works! """First""release""d""e""q""i""x""s"".""o""r""g"
What is this video box? I don't know, but I'll put it in my Backpack first.
Klaasje! What a beautiful lady! Let's interact.
Everything in this world, literally everything, is interactive!
Even if these things have nothing to do with the main storyline of the game, and the interaction with them may only yield fragmented snippets of information.
But this sense of interaction, this... this immersive feeling as if one were truly there, completely captivated Bill.
He had played board games many times with his best buddies, and even in prison, he would occasionally play role-playing games with guys who had rich inner worlds—a kind of effeminate pretend play—but he had never had this strange feeling before.
It's like...
The semiconductor world is the perfect medium for games!
The program handles the complex aspects, and the game can present the interesting aspects in a more perfect way.
This is practically a super-sized, playable detective novel!
"... Revachol City... so I'm a police officer here to solve a case."
After talking with the beautiful and seemingly harmless Klaasje, Bill gained a general understanding of the world.
It is March of 1951, and I am in a hotel called " Whirling-in-Rags " in a city called Revachol.
I didn't just arrive today.
If I'm not mistaken, this protagonist has been here for many days.
But due to excessive drinking and perhaps a little bit of drug abuse, he has been causing trouble these days.
Not only did it fail to solve the case, it also caused considerable trouble for those around them.
"For example, tearing down a hotel room..."
He mentally muttered a complaint.
To get down from the second floor to the first floor of the hostel, you need to interact with the stairs, which means you need to load the map first.
This will certainly be a little disappointing for players who were looking forward to an open world.
But... "What?! There are even more maps? Isn't this all?!"
Bill stared in astonishment at the vast first floor of the hostel, the stage and Mike for singing, the bar and the "bartender" standing behind wiping glasses, the slightly messy but very homey tables and chairs...
He had assumed the entire game revolved around the three hotel rooms they had just visited.
I need to gather enough clues here to keep the story moving forward.
It's normal for detective novels to have smaller, more intimate settings.
But now he suddenly realized that he seemed to have underestimated the power of 20 years.
Could it be...?
He muttered something to himself, then accidentally knocked over a game box that was lying to the side.
"Splash!"
A thick stack of documents fell out.
The first image is the game map.
"The whole city?! Can I go anywhere? My God... how much have I missed?" Compared to the superficial and almost unreal things in the outside world, the development of video games truly made him feel the weight of 20 years.
If you could visit the entire city, every scene would have the same dense information as in the hostel...
Bill suddenly realized that he seemed to have made a big mistake.
He shouldn't have shamelessly borrowed someone else's game just to enjoy himself in the moment.
Such a magnificent world, Lena, an old woman obsessed with mysterious creatures, the brooding police inspector Kim Kitsuragi, the innkeeper Garte, Cuno, a little boy who uses foul language to protect his fragile heart...
Everyone here has a distinct personality and a rich inner world.
Everyone is the protagonist of their own story.
Even... a trash can or mailbox on the street.
Everywhere he looked, there were wonderful stories that captivated him.
Even an unassuming bookstore has its own unique story.
Everything in this city is like a spider web, with countless threads that seem independent yet are tightly connected.
Just like a real human society. What a wonderful story...
But now I don't have time to savor it.
Bill put down the handle and awkwardly tried to find the power button on the machine to turn it off.
He's been bothering us here for far too long.
Bill doesn't really have much of a financial foundation right now.
The most urgent task should be to find a job and a place to live.
Once everything settles down, I'll definitely go to the store and find a set of Disco Elysium.
"You're leaving already? Isn't Disco Elysium fun?"
Noticing Bill's movement, the two who had just finished their fierce battle turned their heads.
"No, sir, it's a masterpiece, I mean... I'm sorry, I really don't know how to praise it enough."
Bill waved his hand.
Any dry words at this moment would feel like a desecration of this game. "Thank you both so much for your help. If there's anything you need..."
Bro, do you like games?
"Uh... maybe. At least I really like Disco Elysium. When I have time, I might look into the new NP I just bought."
"What else is there to say? See that plastic box over there? It contains some NP game cartridges I found. Anyone interested can take them."
Benjamin pointed to a large plastic box in front of the sofa.
Looking through the semi-transparent casing, you can vaguely see a large, dark box full of handheld game cartridges.
"This?! How can this be?"
"Dude, I just love seeing people happy because of video games, you know what I mean?"