An interesting idea that falls a tad short. The inability to be a good person, in this case just filling up their tanks, and being forced to kill to continue makes the whole thing ring hollow. It could have gone a long way, and I'd love to see this continued in some way, but as it is, it sadly lacks substance.
Reviews for "105.2"
There just isn't enough here for me to metabolize.
I enjoyed what I could. The mundane parts of step-by-step gasoline maintenance, something I can relate to somewhat since my job as a lube tech felt pretty much like a standard check list of ordered objectives. Tuning in and out of the radio, whether to see if there is an end for the "good" motive or just because I feel like some unmotivated violence with a firearm. The vulture was a decent enough character to try and pull me in, but the most surprising and weird and enjoyable feature of them all was the 4 string guitar chilling in the corner...
...That is until I discovered that the thing in the top left was actually a yo-yo after I tried to figure out it's operative use and discovered the "string" is interactive. Before that moment of truth, I thought the damn thing was a broken pair of headphones.
All this aside I enjoyed the look of the characters and the vehicles they drove. The dialogue was interesting enough to read the first few times, but grew old fast. Eventually, shooting people or refilling the cars felt like it was the same chore no matter what. I didn't feel there was enough going on in-game to feel a definite progress occurring other than the stacking cars and eventual dissolution of static from the radio.
I feel there could have been more, but alas, it's somewhat circumstantial when dealing with a ludumdare game, isn't it? The more why I feel these ingenious works of art are worth the trouble of making a full review, because I think these games are a learning experience for most.
In all fairness though, I enjoyed every stupid thing I could do. So I guess I needed more things to do at my gas station.
So I can fill up their tanks or shoot them..humm.
In my opinion; this was a very solid attempt at conveying at "art game" esque story. A faceless/ unremarkable protagonist for the player to project on to, a monotonous yet strange setting to have the player constantly questioning events, and a single interesting game mechanic that is more than vital to the story; in this case, the static on the radio gradually being replaced with a song as the player chooses to use the "tool" provided to them. However, while art is subject and open to interpretation, games need to be focused, something this game seriously lacks. If the focus is the radio, the radio should be more interesting: include secret messages in the static or other channels for brief variety. If the murders are the focus, make them more interesting; have the animals react to seeing the gun pulled on them, swear out the player, beg for their lives, etc. If being manipulated is the focus, then make that more interesting: give players the in game choice to side with or against the vulture: there's some sampling of this in game, with the vulture getting angry if you abstain from using the game, but it doesn't have any real worth besides edging the player on to, eventually, use the gun.
In summary, there is potential from Brainwash Gang to create a unique and thought provoking interactive narrative; short, sweet, ambiguous, and interesting. Just a few tweaks are required to achieve this feat and have a game worth playing over and over.
You know, the 'you are the monster' ending works only if there are an alternative. If you can not be good (i.e. nothing happens if you are good, even bird stops taunting), you can not be bad. Actually the game is an very basic manipulation, and for this reason 2.5 stars. By the way, ability to turn off radio removes the only motivation of player.
P.S. Sound don't working under Chrome.