01.09.2011
Analysis by: Emily Greenquist
Passage
“Passage” is a maze exploration game about the navigation of life and the passing of time. Simple player choices equate to very personal real life choices and the future of games. The following is a study into these choices:
ROUND 1
In my first pass through “Passage,” I only used my left and right arrow keys. As a young lad, I found a girl, fell in love, and together we progressed by chasing the morphing jumble of the unknown, always to the distant right. As we moved, our characters aged and the backgrounds changed to indicate periods of our life together. As time pressed on, our characters moved closer and closer to the right edge of the screen, and eventually my female companion reached her limit and passed away. Having only used the left and right arrow keys, I attempted to revive her by moving left (backwards), but this proved to be only movement, and not a reversal of time. I was saddened by her loss, but continued on to the right; later I too found my limit and passed away.
ROUND 1
In my first pass through “Passage,” I only used my left and right arrow keys. As a young lad, I found a girl, fell in love, and together we progressed by chasing the morphing jumble of the unknown, always to the distant right. As we moved, our characters aged and the backgrounds changed to indicate periods of our life together. As time pressed on, our characters moved closer and closer to the right edge of the screen, and eventually my female companion reached her limit and passed away. Having only used the left and right arrow keys, I attempted to revive her by moving left (backwards), but this proved to be only movement, and not a reversal of time. I was saddened by her loss, but continued on to the right; later I too found my limit and passed away.
ROUND 2
In my second pass through “Passage,” I explored the maze by using all arrow keys. Entering the maze is a simple press of the down arrow key, but having already been saddened by my first pass through the game, I felt uncomfortable with the option to further (and now physically) descend. I chose to fall into the maze after first connecting with my female companion, and together we unlocked treasure chests, signifying wealth and adding points. Because there were two of us to manage, we occasionally got stuck in tight passage ways, and needed to either backtrack or remain in a loop of movement until we inescapably passed away in turn.
ROUND 3
In a third pass, I descended into the maze without a companion, and was able to move more freely in tight spaces. I gained the most points of any other round of game play, but the points seemed arbitrary now that I was alone.
CONCLUSIONS
My preferred method of game play was Round 1. I felt uncomfortable descending into the messy passageways in Rounds 2 and 3, and I became lonely exploring without my companion in Round 3.
Now might be the best time to mention that “Passage” is all done in exaggeratedly blocky, sometimes even messy, 8-bit graphics. These are pixels that I am identifying with. I was genuinely saddened when my companion passed away and I was lonely when I chose a path without her. Even points, a staple in most games, lost their meaning without my 4x8 icon friend.
The uniqueness of games as a media is that it allows for choice, and traditionally exploration is rewarded because it perpetuates options. However, I was more interested in the linearly passing of time with my “someone” than adding extra points via maze exploration. Perhaps more accurately, games are unique via participation, and not solely choice. Such a subtle, yet important distinction, allows game developers to push into the realm of “master manipulators” likened to great film directors, such as Hitchcock and Kubrick, who set the audience’s specified path while opening it up to interpretation.
Still, I must admit that my preference of passive game play in “Passage” was an instance of personal choice, and others may prefer game and life experiences with more tangible rewards. This is an exciting time to engage in an industry where it’s very foundation is being questioned and broadened through games like “Passage.”
Participate and/or choose for yourself.
Play "Passage"
Special Thanks
To: Bob McCabe for another excellent suggestion.
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