Ladderhead

I really don't know what to say about this game. It happened? If there's a deeper meaning to the expierience I can safely say i did not find it. You could probably write paragraphs upon paragraphs describing your own mentality around this game and it's inner themes and ideologies but I can not bring myself to. This is when I wish there was an in-between yes and no option. For 2 bucks, sure, play it, and let me know your thoughts on it.

Interesting and quite unexpected. It’s a looped story where, upon dying, the day resets, but we keep the items in our inventory. The plot is confusing and surreal, but it's also intriguing and, above all, satisfying because it’s cleverly designed. Plus, it’s a bargain when on sale. [quote] [i] Check out [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44959158-Critiques-Sans-Frontiers/] our curator page [/url] to discover more little games like this one. [/i] [/quote]

A companion piece to Desert of Vice, Ladderhead shares many of the same aesthetic choices and design pitfalls of the former. There is still a lack of standard text commands that necessitate reliance on the hints command, but I also think the environment of this game is more suitable for this constricted set of commands. It's probably due in part to my recent play-through of its predecessor but I found myself using the hints command less in this game. Also, the repetition of commands in this game leaves the player wanting for a hotkey to cycle through previous commands (it should be the Up key if it's already in there). This quality-of-life adjustment is also in line with the themes of the narrative. Despite these criticisms, I think Ladderhead is a triumph of indie design. The story is more abstract than the previous entry and imbued with more of the developer's original creativity. By focusing on a singular story, Ladderhead features a stronger narrative with events and player choices that feel less arbitrary. A storyteller is getting better and more confident in their craft.

I like the hand-drawn graphics, coupled with the strange sound effects and music it does a great job at fostering a surreal atmosphere to experience the story in. Unfortunately that is where my fun ended. While I understand the game is narrative driven and I wasn't expecting a huge amount of freedom or challenge, it feels like almost every time you're asked to type something, the expected response has been spoon fed to you in the previous panel. To the point that it might as well have a button saying "next" This lack of player agency, clue solving and deduction is in stark contrast to my experience of other text based adventures. To put it simply, being text based does not enhance the narrative or the gameplay in a way that justifies the format. The games focus is clearly on setting a mood, rather than creating an interactive experience or delivering upon the promised 'perilous mystery to solve.' If the game looks interesting to you, it's probably worth the price of entry to experience the atmosphere, but in terms of fun, it falls short.

It does indeed contain corn. Buy it.

Crashing constantly EDIT: Can't comment on the game yet but the issue's been fixed.