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Paradise lost

> ‘Finding Paradise’ video game review

Sonam Kaloti
Arts Editor

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Prins Paradise by Freebird Games is
another indie, plot-based game similar
to the developer's previous game To the
Moon. Though the two are unrelated in
plot, there are quite a few call-backs to the
earlier game, including characters. Having
played To the Moon prior, I would suggest
anyone do the same before picking up this
title.

Once again, doctors Eva Rosalene and
Neil Watts are assigned a patient—this
time, Colin Reeds. Like all the doctors’
previous patients, he wants his memories
tampered with as he lays on his death
bed, in order to die having lived a more
rewarding life than what his reality was.

When Colin goes into the
headquarters of the wish fulfillment
company Sigmund Corp., he is asked what
he would like to have changed about his
life. Oddly, Colin says that he would like as
little to be changed as possible yet enough
so that he doesn't have any regrets once he
is on his deathbed.

 

 

Colin is married
to Sofia and has a son
named Asher. Both
his wife and son are
morose about Colin’s
decision to have his
memories altered
because they are
worried that Colinmay =
wish to erase their lives
together and create
something entirely new.

When the game begins, we do not
know what regrets Colin has. He is very
ambiguous about what he wants the
doctors to change—leaving his fate to the
doctors’ hands. However, the doctors have
a hard time going through his memories.
In past cases the doctors traverse through
the patient’s memories from their most
recent to their earliest childhood memory.
In Colin’s case, however, the memories go
ina sort of spiral: “A gravitational centre,”
as Eva calls it. This builds anticipation
for the ending as you can see what part of
Colin’s life you are at in each memory if you
scroll over a bar at the top of the screen.

The music in this game is very
attentive to detail. Orchestral scores are

  

Have an idea for a story?
M arts@theotherpress.ca

played throughout, and the songs may shift
pertaining to what a character says during
their dialogue. It also changes as you
explore different rooms and areas on the
map. A specific track during the game that
stood out to me is one that plays during a
memory of a theatre. The track sounds very
creepy and is mostly a jarring combination
of low beeps and a choir singing minor
chords. It reminds me of sounds I hear
during sleep paralysis.

A word of advice comes a little too
far into the game when Eva says, “Try to
remember that what we see here has more
to do with relevance than importance
to [Colin].” She says this because the
memories that the player goes through
are strange and typically not the happiest
recollections the patient has. The game

Wacky party games for groups

» ‘Jackbox Party Packs’ favourite games

Sonam Kaloti
Arts Editor

 

Fz games to play with your friends are
never overrated. Jackbox Games offers

a multitude of video games, sold in Party
Packs, that allow users to connect using
their own devices and play together. Each
pack is sold separately and includes at least
five different games. Basically, you need
one communal screen for the game to be
displayed on, and each player joins the

ae eee aon ems Te. th

HO yaa

 

game on their phone through the Jackbox
website.

Anotable game mention, before I go
on to list my favourites from each pack, is
Quiplash. Quiplash is a competitive game
where two people in the group are given
the same prompt and try to answer it in
the funniest way possible. The remaining
audience members will then vote on whose
answer was better. Luckily, Quiplash can be
found in many of the packs! Now, onto the
good stuff.

The Jackbox Party
Pack 1: Fibbage

My favourite game in the
first party pack makes

a few comebacks in the
later party packs as well.
The premise of Fibbage
is that you start off with
a question prompt to
which you, and everyone
else playing, will fill in
an answer that sounds
like it could be real.
Once done, everyone in
your group sees all the
players’ answers as well
as the real answer, and
the players select what
they think is the real
one. The trick is that the
real answer is typically
outrageous, so don't go
filling in typical answers.

Tio ELo ma aLe Ei
he ee

‘Tee KO' shirt by StarElement via @GreenAura_ on Twitter

The Jackbox Party Pack 2: Bidiots
Bidiots is a quirky, drawing-based game
where each player auctions off a drawing
they create right then on their phone.
It’s competitive and provides an ego
boost when your majestic art piece is bid
on by many. The time crunch launches
players into a creative speed burst, and
the creations people come up with are
hilarious—and often slightly disturbing.

The Jackbox Party Pack 3: Tee K.O.

I won't lie—Party Pack 3 is my favourite.
Tee K.O., is just one of the many super fun
offerings in this pack. Another gem, Trivia
Murder Party—an extremely disturbing
trivia game hosted by a fictional serial
killer—is a great introduction to Jackbox.
Tee K.O, isa multi-part game where first
each player draws a few wacky T-shirt
designs. Next, the game prompts players
to insert as many random captions as

they can within the time limit. After these
two stages, each player will be given an
assortment of drawings and captions
created by others, where they will paira
caption with a drawing and then send it off
to compete against other T-shirts.

A fun side note for Tee K.O. is that after the
game is over, everyone has an option to buy
the shirts that they created in the game to
wear in real life.

¢ ‘Trigger Warning with Killer Mike’ TV
show review

¢ Music mirroring current events
¢ 'Mansions of Madness' board game
..and more!

‘Finding Paradise’ still via Steam

skips photo album memories—such as

his wedding, his son’s graduation, and
playing music with his wife—but keeps

in memories that have something to do
with the doctors’ jobs to alter his life into a
happier one.

The end of the game features a lot
more gameplay, with different sorts of
minigames that resemble the likes of Street
Fighter. There is even an unexpected boss
battle.

Overall, Finding Paradise is another
quality game by the developer. The story is
enjoyable and much more family-friendly
than To the Moon since it features lighter
themes. I would recommend playing it
after playing To the Moon because the story
is complementary to the latter.

The Jackbox Party Pack 4: Monster
Seeking Monster

In this game, everyone in your group is
given a role as a monster, each paired witha
special ability (or downfall). The game acts
as a dating app where the player can switc
between chats with other players and ser
a maximum of three texts to anyone per
night. At the end of the round, each playe
must pick a date. The player who gets the
most points according to their monster
role (which is eventually revealed) wins tl
game.

It is a great way to platonically flirt with
some of your friends and see who has the
smoothest pick-up lines—or it might just
be extremely awkward! Luckily you can
make your name whatever you want right
before the game starts, if you'd like to hide
your identity. Either way, it’s very fun.

The Jackbox Party Pack 5: Mad Verse
City

In this game, each player goes head
to head with another player in a rap battle.
The creation of the rap is formatted sort
of like a Mad Libs game where you first fill
ina word prompt, then write a sentence to
follow the previous fill-in-the-blank one.
You don’t know who you're going up against
prior to the actual battle, so whoever you're
schooling, here’s hoping they have thick
skin.

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