What a delightful game this turned out to be! I can’t remember
where I first heard about it; most likely TotalBiscuit, but I remember the idea
of moving coloured blocks with some amusing narration was intriguing, if
nothing else. I didn’t play it for the longest time because I was trying not to
buy more games than I could beat, or at all, but then when I bought a Wii U and
found it available on its virtual console, I thought I had to give it a go.
So this game shouldn’t be news to anyone really but what
Mike Bithell managed to do was create a game with very simple puzzle-based
mechanics and use a fantastic musical score (David Housden) and an incredible
performance from Danny Wallace as the narrator to maintain engagement. It
follows the story of Thomas, a little red rectangle, as he tries to escape the
world he is in. On the way, he meets some different coloured rectangles, each
with their own shapes, sizes and personalities – which are never heard, only
narrated, in a manner similar to a children’s TV show circa 1980s/90s – and they
have to use their various shapes and capabilities to help each other through
the world. It takes what could have been an abstract and not-very-interesting
concept and breathes life into a gaming world which at the time (2010-2012) was
sorely missing some colour and wit. And it works. The music offers a sense of
peace and calm, and you can’t help but be invested in the story of Thomas and
his friends, as it continues to unfold in a manner which leaves just the right
amount open to imagination. The game does have a rather convoluted plot, but it’s
not pretending to be sensible – and you’re far more interested in the
relationships between each of the characters anyway.
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| Easy to figure out what needs to happen here - but how do you get them all up there? |
With all the gushing people tend to do over the production,
it would be easy enough to assume the score and narration carry the whole game.
Thankfully, this is not the case: Thomas Was Alone is a very competently-designed
game which has a good learning curve that gently introduces the player to the
various different mechanics, and moves on when it is ready. The puzzles are
rarely complicated, and require but a moment or two of thought. Some of the
more challenging levels require some precision over their execution, but this
is nothing a little patience doesn’t solve and there is a sense of achievement
in completing them. Sadly the controls
weren’t quite as responsive as they needed to be, I don’t know whether that was
to do with the Wii U or the game’s design but it hindered me few times.
The game isn’t very long, but it doesn’t need to be: If you
blitz through it as a speed run it’ll take no more than a couple of hours, and
even though I took my time I don’t think it took me more than four. I was happy
just to pick this one up and have a play from time to time; it was a refreshing
change to be able to do a bit at a time without having to level up, or follow a
contrived plot, or even take it remotely seriously. It knows what it is – a game
about moving coloured blocks – and even though the score and narration do a lot
to keep the player engaged, the game is not so long that it outstays its
welcome. When it ends, you feel it could conceivably keep going for another few
levels, and any game that leaves you wanting more is a great game by any
stretch of the imagination.
There is longevity there if you look for it. You can
time-attack the levels and there is an online ranking system. The Wii U version
– and presumably whatever platform you now buy the game on – comes with an
option to play the game with a DVD-style commentary; I haven’t looked in to
that yet but it’s great that Bithell managed to squeeze even more life out of such
a game. I might look into his other game, Volume, in the future. Until then, we’ll
see what comes next…
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