Couple's Therapy
Originally published at Technology Tell.
Relationships are hard, right? At first, they’re this beautiful spark between symmetrical people who are proving to be a greater emotional unit than the sum of its parts. Then some time passes, and it becomes more of a game of “How many things in my life will crumble to dust if I up and run away to Austin, Texas, and open a taco truck?” I don’t claim to be a relationship expert, but I think my analysis is pretty sound. If you need a second opinion, might I recommend Tapinator’s Burn it Down?
This monochromatic puzzle platformer whispers echoes of Philipp Stollenmayer’s Sometimes You Die or Play Dead’s Limbo in its elegant vacuity. It may also speak volumes to the massive scope of the former games’ influence on the indie scene, for better or worse. Want to be morose and moody? Make it black and white! It worked for Casablanca, right?
After getting dressed, you will propel your nameless protagonist forward into the unknown. Every new door holds a new array of obstacles—be they spike traps, switches that control spike traps (or not), Thwomp blocks on chains (a.k.a moving spike traps)—all to find your missing lady friend. Again, not an expert, but when your house looks like it was furnished by a young Macaulay Culkin, it can really put a strain on the relationship. When your kitchen looks like the Temple of Doom, can you blame a girl for needing space?
The most you can do in Burn it Down is move in two directions. It’s a game about strategic starting and stopping. It’s my morning drive to work, only more frustrating and more rewarding. There are jumps that can be conquered by approaching them at the right speed; the longer you move in one direction, the faster you shuffle. When the puzzles get particularly nasty, it’s actually quite brilliant to watch the many different ways you can interact with the rather minimal environments. Every so often the game throws you a new element, then subsequent rooms show you the many ways this new obstacle can terrorize you.
Not every puzzle is difficult. At least, it’s not often hard to figure out how the you should get to end. The struggle becomes actually doing it. Knowing when to jump and or which wall to bounce off of like wet tofu is the real struggle. And that struggle is real, indeed. Not to mention that you only have an hour to traverse the game’s 50 stages. The game doesn’t end after your time is up, but your ending isn’t the “right” one. Practice makes perfect.
If there’s any good advice I can give you, its that you should spend a little time with Burn It Down, which is available for free with in-app purchases). It’s not a huge investment of your time and it’s a great, non-traditional expression of puzzle platforming. And eventually, fire is involved. All characteristics of the perfect relationship, really.