Flash game offers doorway into madness

May 2, 2007 1:09 PM

Game, Game, Game, and Again Game or belief systems are small clumsy rolling-type creatures is a digital poem/game/net artwork hybrid of sorts, or so says the designer, Jason Nelson. Joystiq says thus: It's a portal into insanity. Seriously, we're not even sure that you want to click it, lest you lose your already tenuous grip on reality; for that is the price of Game, Game, Game and Again Game, the weirdest thing that's ever happened to us. We know that sounds like hyperbole, but we don't know what else to call a "game" that forces you to collect hand-drawn syringes, represents your score with spinning arrows and punishes you for dying by replacing your "character" with the words "Not Alive" as a disembodied voice chants "C'mon and meet your maker."
posted by daHIFI (30 comments total)

hans moleman> my brain
posted by bobot at 1:21 PM on May 2, 2007

Jesus H. Christ. I think I'm a tad cross eyed now.
posted by brundlefly at 1:23 PM on May 2, 2007

Sweet face crapping abraham that fucked my thinker guts!
posted by French Fry at 1:27 PM on May 2, 2007 [4 favorites]

I dunno - I'm playing without the benefit of sound, but it doesn't seem like the crazy shit has any bearing on gameplay. By which I mean, I did just fine not reading anything and having my fuzzball jump around until I got to the window. I guess that's not in the spirit of things - is the sound a big factor?
posted by taliaferro at 1:28 PM on May 2, 2007

I have a feeling this is the same Jason Nelson I published in Aught way back in 1998. Hm!
posted by aught at 1:37 PM on May 2, 2007

I think this is the first video/online game I've ever actually wanted to play. Thanks!
posted by jokeefe at 1:38 PM on May 2, 2007

It's like an animated Radiohead cd booklet, or something.

If you get to the end, the last (big, 3mb) movie is kind of worth watching. Really weird, but worth watching.

If I didn't have a paper to finish I'd totally stick around and overthink this thing.
posted by thecaddy at 2:02 PM on May 2, 2007

Seems bit like Richard Foreman the video game... High praise, although I confess I stopped at level 8
posted by Squid Voltaire at 2:04 PM on May 2, 2007

That game gave me a metaphysical headache. It was a bit like staring at the Kafka for too long.
posted by humblepigeon at 2:07 PM on May 2, 2007

What I always find amazing is the rational effort it takes to a make programmed insanity like this or Superrad. Somebody had to think about all of these things as they plotted out the game interface.
posted by destro at 2:18 PM on May 2, 2007

Meh. I got to level 7, no problems, but was then too bored to continue. It's sort of cute, but not enough to hold my interest.
posted by Forktine at 2:19 PM on May 2, 2007

It's like an animated Radiohead cd booklet, or something.

Ha! That's EXACTLY what I was thinking. I only played the first 4 levels or so, because I have stuff I need to be doing, but this will definitely get a bookmark from me for a later viewing. Nifty.
posted by Windigo at 2:21 PM on May 2, 2007

Wow, this sucks.
posted by JHarris at 2:33 PM on May 2, 2007

cool.
posted by brevator at 2:36 PM on May 2, 2007

It sucks in the best way probable.
posted by bonehead at 2:36 PM on May 2, 2007 [1 favorite]

Looks - and plays - like something only a TIMARA student could love.
posted by unmake at 2:38 PM on May 2, 2007

I also thought of Radiohead. The final video is funny.
posted by greytape at 2:56 PM on May 2, 2007

This reminds me unpleasantly of the sort of thing you see at the campus art gallery near the end of every semester. Eugh.
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:14 PM on May 2, 2007

It's like a game, only without the fun.
posted by unSane at 3:38 PM on May 2, 2007

Meh meh meh and again meh
posted by bicyclefish at 3:52 PM on May 2, 2007

(ps.

Metafilter: Some confusing type of hell built from messy lines

)
posted by bicyclefish at 3:53 PM on May 2, 2007

It sucks in the best way probable.
posted by voltairemodern at 4:12 PM on May 2, 2007

It doesn't like my MacBook's arrow keys. Sniff.
posted by scalefree at 4:52 PM on May 2, 2007

Game, Game, Game and Again Game

I Just Lost The Game.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 4:54 PM on May 2, 2007

It's like an animated Radiohead cd booklet, or something.

That's exactly wha...

Ha! That's EXACTLY what I was thinking.

Oh, me too.
posted by Artw at 5:42 PM on May 2, 2007

I hadn't thought of Radiohead, but now that you mention it, it IS kind of pretentious and annoying.
posted by DU at 6:47 PM on May 2, 2007 [2 favorites]

It doesn't like my MacBook's arrow keys. Sniff.
posted by scalefree at 6:52 PM on May 2 [+] [!]

Works good on my PowerBook G4 running Safari.
posted by BaxterG4 at 6:56 PM on May 2, 2007

What a load of wank.
posted by jiroczech at 2:29 AM on May 3, 2007

man, I hate art.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 6:58 AM on May 3, 2007

I'm probably doing disservice to both parties to even mention sketchfighter. game^4 is "art," a fairly quick concept piece. Sketchfighter was labored over for almost a year, with the goal being fun, not art. So why do I mention it? The drawings, of course!
posted by dylanjames at 7:50 AM on May 3, 2007