On stream, I play through a wide variety of games. So far after doing a single, standard completion of a game on stream I do my best to give it a rating to have some categorical understanding of the game and how it relates to the Esoteric Game perspective. I have come up with a somewhat meaningless and insignificant scale that I judge each game based on and I will share it with you here. As well as two recent games that have gone up against the grade.
A. R. S. E.
One small note on the system is that each attribute can be between +5 and -5.
My Arbitrary Rating System Equivalencies are as follows:
Mysteries ov Esoterica
Secrets, secret knowledge… understanding. Symbology, themes, archetypes and subtler esoteric wisdom.
Level ov Violence
The requirement and ability to inflict violence. Inversely- different types and degrees of compassion and love.
Phloe and Trance
Both the constant movement and stillness. Getting into the flow based on action or immersion.
Skill and Technique
Dexterity, general and specific knowledge. Acuity and accumulated experience put to use.
Superliminal
When we say a game is similar to Portal, its often both in its spatial relativity as well as its thoughtful puzzles(with a good supply of humor.) Superliminal is definitely an achievement to create and to play. Puzzles feel difficult enough and there are plenty of secrets and tricks strewn throughout. The rub is that perhaps it was all a dream, or that the dream world is the place where the game takes place and that in dreams we can explore these strange and diverse world experiences.
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/954326110?t=02h12m16s
Manifold Garden
Next up on the block is Manifold Garden, which at first was a very standard physics puzzle game with M.C. Escher styled world. However as the game opens up you realize that each subsequent map is training you to understand each different gravitational direction from the sides of a cube. The end goal is to use a hypercube God Cube on each plane to grow a tree as part of the Manifold Garden. With an absolutely stellar ending sequence, and an alternate 0% completion ending this was definitely one of my favorite games that I have played through recently.
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/963036632?t=01h17m13s
What do you think of this rating system?
Leave a Reply