Provoron

Dang, did this game get my thoughts following and my brain thinking. A very enjoyable and intriguing experience all around. Could benefit from more polish in its scene transitions, audio, and cutscenes; plus more fleshing out of its gameplay elements (e.g. closing your eyes) and secondary themes (e.g. anarchy vs monarchy).

Provoron is a dark point-and-click adventure that builds its identity around psychological uncertainty rather than conventional horror. Developed by Tara Kan and published by Spaghetti Cat, it follows Ankou, a white crow whose unusual perception allows him to see strange red demons associated with the minds of those around him. When these creatures appear to spread beyond their original boundaries, Ankou becomes determined to confront the problem. What follows is less about defeating monsters and more about discovering whether his interpretation of the world can actually be trusted. The narrative is easily the game's most compelling element. Ankou believes something terrible is happening, but Provoron deliberately avoids confirming that his understanding is entirely correct. His desire to help others becomes complicated because salvation is not necessarily something they requested. This creates an interesting tension between compassion and obsession. The story explores loneliness, emotional suffering, isolation, perception, and the consequences of assuming that you understand what another person needs. The supernatural imagery works particularly well because the demons can be inte…

I have never enjoyed a game, or felt as good about a game as this one. As someone who is interested in similar topics — religion, meditative creativity, etc — I can really appreciate the depth that has gone into the symbolisms of characters, and how dedicated the developer is with keeping true to Ankou's perspective and personal emotions. I can certainly say that I have been inspired by the powerful and heavy ideas in this game, and I want to encourage the developer to continue to delve into her unique ideas and perspectives so that she can continue to inspire others as well.

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Can't recommend in its current state. In two places, I thought I was softlocked due to confusing controls and navigation, and in one place I actually got softlocked (while trying to find the nervous rat). Feels very unpolished in general.