quick game recipe:
one part rabbit, one part witch;
drunks and foul language
Additional Comments:
Flash games have never been my cup of tea, as it's rare to find a fully fleshed game that has inherent play value. As such, my experiences with Flash games are few and far between, usually trying out bizarre titles recommended by friends for a mere 30 seconds and walking away colored unimpressed. Even those Flash titles I've decided to slog through for the sake of this blog, while unique and beholden of a certain charm, be it Super Press Space to Win's ironic spin on simplicity or Don't Shit Your Pant's reliance on crude humor and stupidity, rarely hold a candle to "true" gaming experiences. But then there's often brilliance mired among all the mediocrity such as VVVVVV which started its life in the Flash medium. To this day, it's still one of my all-time favorite games and to think it came from such humble roots. For this reason, I'd say it's worth perusing the usual Flash choke holds such as Kongregate or Newgrounds; only the chance of finding that one game worthy of play among all the undesirables is slim to none. Of course, there's more than enough routes to lead you towards the well praised: rating systems, reviews etc., but I rarely ever buy into any of that hogwash as my particular tastes never quite coincide with mainstream thinking - Shenmue being a prime example. Apart from a few friendly recommendations, I tend to leave my Flash experiences to fate - serendipitous finds sparked by certain qualities that catch my eye while casually rummaging through the web with zero intention of seeking out the next great game to marvel over.
I came across Hood after scouring the depths of YouTube listening to obscure video game tracks. Eventually, I came across Hood's Music Box Waltz which instantly grabbed my attention with its macabre, almost lullaby like ambiance. This one tune intrigued me enough to seek out from whence it came - a serial point and click Flash game spread out over several episodes.
Ooh...the whole episodes structure fettered my interest in the game immediately. I've never been big on singular stories broken down into what can rightfully be considered half a game, or even less in this case. Breaking a game into episodes feels like nothing more than a cheap marketing tool. It artificially accentuates story by promoting unnatural suspense. In Hood's case, this seems unnecessary since it appears it may have a story that can stand on its own merits. My belief in this is somewhat biased by the point and click genre in general since story usually plays a major role compared to other games types. Why the need to further inflate it? In contrast, emphasis on gameplay feels slightly diminished as pacing is broken. It becomes somewhat of an afterthought as game immersion loses out to a mechanic devised solely to drive curious readers. In that respect, the game takes on more of a visual novel approach, though it's not readily apparent until you reach the ending.
Based on the existence of this commentary, it's obvious my initial interest was enough to warrant a playthrough despite any reservations I may have had. What little story there is so far is indeed enthralling, but upon reaching the episode's end, everything becomes unraveled. Up until that point, I found the game enjoyable. The play itself is by no means amazing. In fact, it feels rather lackluster for point and click standards, but everything that framed it compelled me enough to push forward. The gameplay was merely a means to an end as I strove to learn more about the strange mythos of Hood and the sorrowful fate of the girl. All the while, I found myself thoroughly captivated by the ominous mood enriching the game world which was cleverly aided by a welcomed film reel presentation utilizing cue marks at set intervals. However, come the end of the episode, it was all for naught. Never have I felt so dejected.
Relying on suspense to reel the player in; wanting more, Hood attempts to make the episode format work by pushing even the tiniest grains of tension into off-putting cliffhangers. Except, the end of Episode 1 is barely worthy of the charge. The episode's end felt so unnatural - so out of left field. I'll concede that the developer succeeded in the sense that he left us wanting more - the episode's minimal length can attest to that, but I won't concede that he left me wanting more. The ending blindsided me, leaving me so aghast that any and all investment in the game took a sudden nosedive. In my opinion, the episode structure backfires because the episode is too short. Never mind the minimal gameplay, which I'll get to in a moment, but I was presented with barely enough material to tide my interest. There was enough material to slowly mold an unusual folklore, but not enough to warrant a 'to be continued' without thinking its all gone to waste. I found myself apathetic towards what may lay ahead for the hunter and the girl because I wasn't given enough time to immerse myself into the story proper and/or care about their endeavors.
Granted, Hood is a Flash title, and limited game time can and should be expected, so it seems wrong to harp on that. However, after finishing the episode, my reflection on the game was akin to that of Shenmue's first disc. What exactly did I accomplish? I sobered up some idiot weather mage. That's it! That alone makes we leery of continuing on with the series. Is each episode going to consist of nothing more than a single, solitary task? Ok, there's more to the episode than just sobering up some inebriated buffoon, but if I were to outline the major talking points, it doesn't really feel like it.
If all of Hood's episodes could be played as a singular game, I'd likely be fussing over stupid, meaningless flaws. I could continue on my merry way, enjoying the game properly. Allowing for a more natural flow for both the story and gameplay would likely mask some of the failings that are much more apparent when the game is broken down into short ten to fifteen minute segments. And most importantly, I wouldn't feel swindled by interacting with next to nothing despite fancying itself an opening story arc. Somehow, I felt as though I accomplished less than I did in Myst and there's literally nothing going on in that game. But alas, it's all wishful thinking and instead, the developer offered me an out a mere ten minutes in.
Failings may be too strong a word, as the gameplay, while lacking compared to other point and click titles, is intuitive enough to keep the player from pulling their hair out over stupid item puzzles. There are a couple moments where I think the background could have benefited from a few minor graphical tweaks in regards to item finds, but otherwise, the "puzzles" were fairly straightforward and equally polished. I'd like to have seen better use made of the inventory, but perhaps that's down to the episode itself. It may even be possible I overlooked something, though I'm certain I clicked every possible graphical representation boasted within the game in every possible combination. I'm disheartened I couldn't finagle the locked door with the knife, but again, product of the episode's parameters or simply overlooking something.
I can't help but feel that I'm unfairly criticizing Hood because of my own preoccupations with some asinine storytelling device superseding the overall experience. But the developer made a choice to present the game in episodes. Whether that was a conscious choice or one made out of necessity thanks to Flash, it completely ruined the game for me. Only because he succeeded so well in mood, I'm willing to move forward with the series, or at least convince myself of this belief. Then again, I feel so apathetic towards the story after such an underwhelming attempt to bait my continued interest and such disdain towards the game's now seemingly jerky progression I feel I can only feign that interest to forge ahead for so long. I just don't see the point. As long as every episode is an ineffectual little tease like the first, I can only feel indifference towards it all. I'm well aware that the game's been out for a while and as such, four episodes are currently playable if I'm not mistaken. Is that all the episodes? That same indifference prevents me from willingly researching the facts. It would be as easy as a few quick mouse clicks to call up the next episode, but...well, my ramblings have circled and the point is made.
Perhaps... Perhaps I'll give the second one a go; to at least see if there's any improvement. Ah! But perhaps that was his plan all along. A crafty one, he is.
Rating: 2 disgustingly comfy chairs out of 5
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