Is A Dark Room A Masterpiece?

A Dark Room’s ability to provide a very retro but still transformative experience reminds me of other great titles like Undertale. Of course, Undertale was a beautiful game with retro-style graphics; A Dark Room requires a little imagination.

I purchased A Dark Room on IOS because the game appears on several top ten lists and even was reviewed in The New Yorker.  The game is one of those indie titles that is frequently discussed but never actually described.  Most reviewers insist that gamers go in to the game with as little knowledge as possible, and so that’s how I played it the first time.  And, after about an hour, I put it down in favor of some other games.  I only returned to it last week when I found myself on a long bus trip without any other games to play.  I returned to the familiar portions of the early game, pushed through a bit further, and suddenly found myself immersed in a simple title that masterfully spins your expectations and expertly elevates the gameplay.  I was amazed at how wrong in my initial impression.  This game is not just good, I’m asking myself now if this game is actually a masterpiece.

The graphics of this game remind me of the old Macintosh games from the late 80’s.

What makes the game so good?  Well, as everyone else says, it’s really hard to explain without spoiling some of the game so I’m going to try to be vague enough to preserve some mystery while still trying to be informative.  The game starts very basic with some simple gameplay (just clicking a box) and slowly expands your world in pieces at a time.  There are portions of the game that play like a treasure hunt, parts that are all about resource management, parts that feel like a civilization builder, and some other types of gameplay mixed in.  The game can also feel very unforgiving in some portions but – as you master the game – you begin to feel more and more powerful as you master the most difficult elements.  Of course, once you do master one form of gameplay, a new element is introduced that turns the game on its head.

Aw man, not this guy again. Fighting involves mashing buttons, waiting for your attack to recharge, and attacking again (more weapons also give you more buttons). Gaunty here doesn’t stand much of a chance (his hp is on the right) but that never stops him from trying.

Even more impressive is the fact that the game does this with minimal graphics and a very basic interface.  These are seriously MINIMAL graphics, like the kind of graphics you’d see on an Intellivision game.  But they work for this title because they allow the player to fill in the gaps with their own interpretations (a theme that actually runs through the entire game).  The game also has some plot twists as you advance that get delivered with a masterful and creepy understatement at various points, but the really interesting part is how the gameplay evolves at different points.  I finished the game anxious to tell other people about it; it’s an interesting, unique experience that is worth pushing through its initial difficulty curve.

There’s a lot of management to do in your home village (where you always return to when you die, minus all your stuff). While the village is interesting, the dusty path always beckons.

So that’s why this game winds up on so many lists for best IOS games.  It perfectly captures an excellent gameplay experience within the medium.  It keeps things simple and interesting.  It takes a basic design and continuously expands its world and confounds the gamer’s expectations.   I haven’t even mentioned the writing yet, which is also minimalist and powerful within the minimalist presentation.  The game is basic but does everything very well and manages some great surprises.  When I think about the great, memorable gameplay experiences I’ve had, I’m sure I’ll include A Dark Room on that list.

The BEST PARTS:

The game is fascinating and creative within a minimalist design.  This is the kind of game you play and think about for a while afterwards.

The WORST PARTS:

The graphics are seriously basic and – even with the very cool commentary after the game – there were a couple of twists I didn’t quite get.

OUR VERDICT: BUY IT

It costs a dollar and can be a transformative experience.  I’d easily recommend this to anyone looking for those unusual but fascinating gameplay experiences that are memorable and increasing hard to find.