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A Closed World
A game prototype that focuses on the challenges of LGBTQ youth.
Like most game prototypes created by the students at the GAMBIT Game Lab, A Closed World was designed to explore and research different aspects of games, in this case, the lack of compelling video game content for LGBTQ youth (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer).
A Closed World takes the gameplay aesthetics and mechanics of “JRPGs” (Japanese role playing games) and puts you in control of a character of ambiguous gender that begins exploring a forest on the edge of town. Disregarding rumors of “demons” that exist in the forest who have the ability to “destroy” your village, your character must overcome the hardships of a forbidden relationship by exploring what lies inside the forest. Through this journey, players battle the forest’s “demons” and the ideals they are trying to force upon them. The players’ only defense is their logic, passion, ethics, and the ability to remain calm during conflict. As “demons” attack with their beliefs, they must fight back and defy their ideas of what’s “normal” and what love is supposed to look like.
Funders:
National Research Foundation (Singapore), Media Development Authority (Singapore), Interactive Digital Media Research and Development Programme Office, (Singapore)
Contact:
gambit-request@mit.edu
Trailer:
Screenshot:
Review the Game
The main body of the game is engaging: I enjoyed the fact that the combat system was based on trying to keep calm while enemies pressured you to be "normal" (just like real life), and I enjoyed the animated cutscenes that illustrate the player character’s relationships with the people they’re having to face in these interactions (some of which were heartbreaking). I do think there’s room for improvement, however: it’s confusing to go through long stretches of the game without meeting any enemies (I kept wondering if I was lost), the question in the beginning could stand to be broadened (since not everyone defines themselves as male or female- maybe "or" could be a button as well?), and the ending felt anticlimactic (I wanted to see the character finally standing up for him/herself in real life; I’m really not sure that some placating lines on a statue are going to do anything to address his/her difficulties).
The music from the opening screen is great! I actually postponed hitting the play button in order to listen to it some more. So good job there! The mechanic reminded me stronly of Pokemon, but it certainly works. One thing that you might be able to improve: The lines during each stage of each battle stay the same. Can you introduce even more variaty to them, without blurring the lines between daemons’ battle tactics? The art style is awesome, the "cutscenes" are fitting perfectly – except for this one moment when the text tells me I am talking to my father and the picture, to my mind, shows a woman’s back. And what is the actual change, determined by whether I choose male over female? I am afraid I did not get that. What I recognized: This game is probably not at its best when played by those who suffer from the same challenges as my/our avatar (however, I cannot be sure here). But introducing others ("outsiders" like me) to the challenges these people undergo – that is does brilliantly! And I like the visual symbols you used for portraying the daemons. Also this line, like "I don’t think I am ready for this daemon yet." was perfect – making me curious and giving me a goal at the same time.
Now this is a gem!
I liked this game a lot for what it stood for and its ethics but after a while it became a bit monotonouse. They could have brought some diversity of gameplay.
Review the Game