[08 July 2023] THE ABSTRACTIONS COLLECTION
Medium: Experimental Game
Released: 26 May 2023
ABSTRACTIONS is a trilogy of short experimental games. Well, 'games' isn't a very
accurate descriptor, but 'experience' is a bit pretentious so we'll stick with that.
Since there are three games in this package, I will discuss each one individually.
CIRCLES is described in its README as "A SHORT MEDITATIVE INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE
ABOUT THE CIRCLES OF CREATION." I have no method of verifying this as the game seems
to be unfinished, so much in fact that attempting to run it simply creates a debug log
in the game folder. The game failed to launch, and that's damn disappointing. I'm
only mentioning so those potentially interested in checking out Selfish Dream's work
are aware this game is just completely unplayable.
EXPRESSION is the most complete work in the trilogy, and by that I mean it runs and
makes use of its medium (I'll elaborate on that when we get to REALITY...). It seems
to be a play off the classic 'snake' genre of game, as you control a trail of light
collecting other balls of light across an abstract screensaver-lookin backdrop. What
makes this game interesting is its description in the README, which describes the
trail as a flower you 'grow', and can 'bloom' with the spacebar. Blooming your flower
causes it to split into four shards and essentially restart the game, though as the
game has no sense of linear progression I'm not sure if this is a reset or an
advancement. EXPRESSION brings to mind creative expression, which is bolstered
by CIRCLES being, according to its README, also about the creative process.
To me the flower is representative of a creative spirit, searching for inspiration
in a vast sea of darkness and uncertainty. The blooming of the flower resulting in
its release brings to mind the idea of art as sacrifice.
REALITY is the strangest of the three in that, in my experience at least, the visual
consisted only of a white screen. The README gives instructions on movement, but there
is nowhere to go. The music is ambient and pleasant in an unsettling sort of way. It's
peaceful but too peaceful, claustrophobic in its complacency. I won't pretend to know
for sure what SD was trying to communicate here, but to me it screams resigned nihilism.
It laughs at the player for expecting anything from REALITY.