PROTOThYPE Demo

Love is a big subject in most stories, because it ties things together when magic, dragons or spaceships are not enough. However, it’s also a fairly touchy subject, given the fact that it’s difficult to accurately portray the sentiment using words or imagery. It also depends on your mood, because no matter how good the writing is, sometimes it’s difficult to empathize with the characters.

PROTOThYPE is an interesting first-person puzzle game with an interesting story and some neat puzzles for you to tackle. The main theme is love, weirdly enough, although it’s not your usual romance tale with dates and awkward moments. In fact, the game is a pretty trippy experience, especially when it comes to the environments and the puzzles you have to deal with along the way.

The first-person perspective is very familiar and easy to get into, but the puzzles might be a tad weird sometimes. Hence, whether you have to find the right way out of a room or a hidden code for the keypad, most of the answers require a bit of creative thinking. It’s a lot of fun to search for these answers, on the other hand, which is exactly what one should expect from a puzzle game.

The story has a fairly big impact on the experience as a whole, because there are all sorts of reminders when it comes to the love the main character has for his classmate. The writing is actually very nice, even if the phrases are short and to the point. It’s a different approach to the subject, but it makes you empathize with the main character and see the problem from his point of view.

Not much can be said about the graphics, but that doesn’t mean they are bad, not by a long shot. In fact, most environments are fairly detailed and enjoyable, not to mention unique when it comes to level design. Even the textures are fairly nice, even if they do not come in high-resolution. The sound effects are not bad either, and they help a lot with the overall atmosphere.

PROTOThYPE may not try to change the video game industry with brilliant new gameplay mechanics or flashy graphics, but it tells a neat story and it provides the players with an enjoyable experience. Thus, it’s a great way to spend a few minutes every now and again, even if the game is pretty short.