Stumbling through Antichamber - Part 1

[davidn]

ravenworks and several other people wanted to see me trying Antichamber. I had only vaguely heard of it before a Steam sale prompted me to try it out - it defies all sane description, really, because after about two hours of gameplay I'm still not quite sure what's happening, but it's a first-person puzzle/maze game of sorts where you have to learn to adapt to the rules of an environment that constantly defies the laws of physics and logic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaJhHUcbb6Q&hq=1

I'm really not sure how to describe my run-through of it, either - everything about the game is unexpected in a different way from any other video I've ever done, and it's designed to confuse and disorient you, making the whole thing looks like someone playing a normal game after having overdone it at the pub. Please enjoy my confusion.

Comments

[ravenworks.livejournal.com]

Marvelous :D I'd forgotten how fun (and frustrating!) that game is :D It's surprising how disorienting it can be, even once you're aware of its tricks...

One of the captions you skipped is a line I rather liked -- when you get to the big 'EXIT' door and try to take it, the picture of the man hobbling out of the hospital comes up, and if you click it, the caption is, "Life isn't about getting to the end". ;)

[xaq.livejournal.com]

I once described the interior of a sci-fi starship I designed, Fenrir, trying to find the words to depict how physically impossible it could be sometimes...had I ever played this game before, I would have just told people to try it and they'd have a good idea of just how much of a 5-dimensional mindscrew it is.

(Seriously, did you just get dumped in the heart of the TARDIS or something?)

[tamakun.livejournal.com]

Considering how much of a blast I had with the game, I'm highly amused to see your take on some of the puzzles, talking your way through things, also noting things that I believe I never figured out (those "noise fields") and how things reacted in this space.

Also, "I'll take the lot" is TOTALLY a British term, isn't it?

I continue to be amused by your "---WHAT" reactions, particularily when you look into the doily-like patterns and end up elsewhere. What I'm amazed with in this game is how seamless everything is despite its nonlinear design!

This is one of those games where you have to appreciate the design method behind it. So many crazy designs and a successful implementation!