Dull Grey

[h1][i]It's not the choice that matters, but the way you make it[/i][/h1] [i]The Strugatskys[/i], [i]Dostoevsky[/i], [i]Tarkovsky[/i]. That's what the store page said and that's all it took for me to fire this up as soon as I could. And what greeted me was a vast grey-white, desolate landscape accompanied by droney, sprawling dark ambient soundscape... and then the black text box appeared with simple words and angular, sharp lines evoking that early 20th century futuristic Soviet aesthetic in black and white. From the colours, shapes, sounds to the words, and overall presentation, everything in this game oozes [i]minimalism[/i] and simplicity. And that goes for its length too. It could be said that [i][b]Dull Grey[/b][/i] is an [b]interactive fiction[/b] equivalent of a short story whose one playthrough can be finished in about half an hour. But it packs quite a bit in that short playtime especially as you play more. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2621902470 Dull Grey is like a [b]choices game about having no choice[/b]. Basically, a choices-don't-matter game. But as the main character will learn, it's not so much about the abundance of options, but the i…

A very short visual novel where you play as Kir, a boy living in a dystopian society. You have been selected to join the Progress-Program and must make a choice that will shape the rest of your life. Will you let others decide for you, or will you choose for yourself? The game features 11 possible endings. An intriguing game to play and replay, to explore every possible dialogue choices.

At first, I was captivated by the intricate writing, but as the plot progressed, the simplicity of the choices began to feel increasingly monotonous, as if Kirill's future was confined to two vague career paths, both leading to an ultimately unhappy life. However, after taking a brief break from the game to attend to other matters, I returned to find that new options had suddenly appeared. These options weren't particularly "novel"; they were simply choices framed as "I don't know." Although some of the vocabulary and imagery eluded me, the overall tone of the game carried a distinctly Russian flavor, and upon closer reflection, I found myself pleasantly surprised by its depth. Each character, every conversation, and even every "I don’t know" led to new possibilities, sparking a sense of career daydreams. Perhaps it was all just fantasy, whenever a new future emerged, the machine seemed to malfunction. Even though, in the end, only two paths remained, they led to a long and fulfilling life. It’s like the first time you ask a question, the first time you doubt your choices, the first time you feel lost. The navigator smiled, showing his white and straight teeth, and his whole face…

I don't think this is a bad game or anything, it just wasn't for me. It seems like it has a lot of good things in the story if it captures your attention. Just not my cup of tea.

Грустная и проникновенная игра, очень понравилось. Зайдет совершенно точно не всем, тут очень скудный визуал и геймплей.

Очень необычная визуальная новелла о выборе, самостоятельности и одновременно зависимости и независимости от окружения. Ну, во всяком случае, так ее понял я. Играть только на русском.