Hit Me Over the Head: Video Games
Temporary memory loss has never sounded so enticing when there’s something you’re itching to experience for the first time again. In this first of however many installations, I plan to talk about video games I am willing to concuss over.
Degauss My Brain?
Jazzpunk’s First Chapter
This is not a Brand New reference. We’re talking about video games, remember? It’s a nod to one of Jazzpunk’s side quests from its first chapter. With a handheld device, degauss pigeons (and optionally, secret agents). It’s a game of espionage and playful humor, set in the 1950s. Japan had taken over America — so the setting’s in the fictitious lands of “Japanada”. With this and Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, I’m starting to think I have a thing for comedies set in alternate Cold War universes.
Now, I played the game ages ago. I was younger, saw Jacksepticeye’s videos on it, and it was one of the first games I got when I had my own laptop. It’s a nostalgic game for me, harking to simpler times where Cambridge’s checkpoint examinations were my biggest worries — and admittingly, I have this slight feeling that if I had discovered this game now, I may have disliked it. I might come to think of the humour as overly absurd and frankly, at times I’m unsure if they’re paying homage to Japanese culture or mocking it — but there are bits that I vaguely recall that were just the right amount of silly.
Jazzpunk’s Second Chapter
Jazzpunk doesn’t have much replayability either, unless you’re the type to 100% the game’s achievements. Mechanically, it isn’t interesting enough to get back into. What I remember most about it wasn’t laughing, which might not sound great for a game known for its humour. I know I don’t sound too convincing about why I wish to experience this game for the first time again right now, but this is what compels me to think so: It was its stylistic art, tone and my curiousity about its world that stuck with me the most. I didn’t like how it was so short. I wanted to explore more of 1950s Japanada (I promise only one short segment of the game is set in a retro-futuristic Tokyo), its people and its lore! It’s left enough of an impression on 15 year old Leia, for 20 year old me to still search for off-beat games similar to Jazzpunk.
I Hate that Stupid Sphere
Maybe if I were Wheatley, I wouldn’t have to be hit over the head to forget my first Portal 2 playthrough.
Portal 2 Concept Art
While I have replayed my favourite bits at least once a year, it is a puzzle game. Portal’s solutions are burned in the back of my mind, so I don’t come back to the game for its physics-based gameplay, but rather to refresh my memory of certain chapters. Old Aperture’s facilities during “The Fall” were dilapidated, but they were still incredibly grand in size. The edifices made me feel small and isolated, in a way that inspires me to evoke the same feelings in creations of my own. I don’t think I have written anything that felt the same, and I doubt it’ll come anytime soon — I struggle even now to describe how it truly felt when I first got to that act of the game, or why it has stuck with me for so long. I first played Portal 2 when I was about 16, and I wholly regret not making some sort of note about my thoughts.
On a lighter note — Portal 2 is a great game. A pretty general consensus. I had fun playing it and I got plenty of laughs out of its co-op mode! (Nat we have not finished the last chamber yet. It has been 3 years…) It’s world building was immersive, the puzzles were charming and the jokes landed. The closest I’ll get to a brand new Portal experience — since valve is notorious for never putting out a game with the number “3” at the back of it, which frankly might be for the best — is through mods. Portal: Revolution is a pretty neat one — it decently lengthy with a total of 8 chapters, adds a few new mechanics to the game and has gorgeous art!
Portal: Revolution
Portal: Revolution
Initially, I had a few more games in mind that I’d love to play for the first time again — but when writing this, I realised I either didn’t really have much to say about them or I feared my words would not do them justice. I didn’t what to end up with a nothingburger blog, so for now, this has been the first part of Leia wanting selective memory loss!
