Penguin Colony
This is a mirror of my Steam review for Penguin Colony.
Artistic games, such as they are, often fall into one of these categories:
- Extremely straightforward and movie-like; goes down easy and simply.
- Incredible opaque; you have to spend a lot of time chewing on it to dissect the thematic meaning.
- "Trick" games - well, you think it's one thing, but surprise! You were the bad guy all along, John Braid.
I spent a lot of time, while playing Penguin Colony, trying to determine which of these it actually was. I actually landed pretty strongly on 3, by the end, based on a hunch I won't share here. I completely misunderstood the narration going on thinking it was just quoting Lovecraft (it very much is not, pay attention!!) Even as someone who really enjoys games with a sincere, straightforward point, I did not clock what Penguin Colony -actually- was:
- A game with a straightforward perspective and obvious thematic thrust, yes, but -also- one that expects an attentive audience and rewards chewing on it, being contemplative, taking your time, not rushing, not expecting everything that's truly important to see to be simply deposited in front of you.
The design language of games in the modern era very highly values spoonfeeding, clever redirection to the critical path, making it impossible to miss things that're critical (whether for the story or otherwise), and generally pureeing the experience. I don't think this is always a bad approach. Some of my favorite narrative games are structured in this way and they can be very powerful. But it is shockingly uncommon for a game to ask more of us in the way a dense film might - to have that obvious theme, but to expect the audience to bring themselves fully to the table in pursuit of understanding.
Penguin Colony holds up a mirror to the modern games landscape in general pretty explicitly, but it held a mirror up to me too. It made me rethink how I engage with the medium and especially how I was completely unwilling to see it for what it was and engage with it accordingly when I could've easily clocked it in a book or movie. Any piece of art that made me grow in this way is worthy of a recommendation, all on its own.
Okay, that's all very metatextual though, what thoughts do I have on it as a -product-? Well:
- It's a little technically janky I'm sad to say. The opening is incredible but the penguin's movement prowess has a hard time in some of the later sections. I saw a fair few jank moments that definitely took away from the experience.
- IMO the game is absolutely gorgeous. What stunning design.
- The sound design is also very good.
- Appropriating Lovecraft to do stuff actual-Lovecraft would spin in his grave about is, of course, based.
- With my mind expanded and ready to digest it much more accurately, I am very excited to replay it.