This was originally posted on the now-defunct Random Fury! videogame blog.
So here’s a charming little diversion: L.I.F.E.
You are falling through the sky. Bottles of milk are somehow hurtling upwards, ignoring gravity. Collecting them feels good. Gives you health. Lollipops start rising. How? I don’t know. Eat them, they taste nice. Oh my, now there are knives. I don’t want to touch them. They are sharp and they hurt. Now burgers. I like burgers. Eat burgers. Yum, health. Forks! Do not want! Ignore forks. Avoid forks.
Yes, it’s one of those metaphorical games which boils down complex constructs and institutions into simple videogame mechanics. For example, instead of going to school, college and university, you simply have a nice little go on a nice little Breakout clone, collecting “subjects” as they fall from smashed blocks. Graduating with a major in a certain subject is caused by you collecting that subject most, rather than you enjoying it or being good at it. The subject which you are assigned determines your unique ability for the next round – which is a semi-automated take on Space Invaders, with a power-up system rather like Gradius.
There are a few other rounds but I won’t spoil them, and then there are a few different endings depending on how well you did and which actions you took. It’s a fun little game, so why not give it a try? That link again: http://notdoppler.com/life.php
Which ending did you get?
