It feels surprisingly invigorating to actually have something to do.
Even if it might result in your imminent death.
You are fully aware that millions of lives depend on your survival but as the years pass by (just like other Sandmans), that truth gets diluted and you start to focus on yourself instead.
Capsule is, at it’s core, a solidly built science fiction story about isolation. This isn’t PaperBlurt’s first foray into science fiction. A previous Ludum Dare entry of his, Alone/Awake, is also about the loneliness of space. But this tale, longer and more fleshed out, shows a more mature Twine author than past endeavors.
As always, one of the strengths of PaperBlurt’s work is in his technical skills in Twine. He creates animations and sets the scene. Color and style are all ready weapons in his arsenal. It’s with a unnaturally talented hand that he manipulates Twine so that it conforms to his will, and it makes every experience unique and crafted. When you interact with the ships system, it is with a strange amalgamation of 80′s surf speak and a Matrix green UI.
Capsule is the tale of a character who volunteered to be a Sandman — to watch a generation ship as it piloted its way across the galaxy. For the most part, the game is punctuated by this loneliness and sense of isolation. He has watched every movie, done everything that can be done. His sole purpose is as an observer,
The game loses some of its steam near the end. The strengths, such as the way Capsule encapsulates loneliness and isolation are lost. Despite some of the humor, as seen above in the surf speak, the game is kind of serious. The finale is the weakest portion of the game, and not just because you are given the option to replay that final moment. There is an awkward “hilarious” section near the end which feels so tonally different from my own personal experience that it threw me for a loop.
This is a jam game that does not need the qualifier “keep in mind this was made in 48 hours.” Solidly built, it is a technically sound Twine game with all the talent and skill that PaperBlurt has shown repeatedly throughout the years.
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