An experience unlike anything I've ever played before.
Virginia is a special game. It's a game I thought about after finishing, a game I'm still thinking about. A game that I will most likely come back to soon. But I also use the term "game" very, very loosely. You have very little control in this game, and it funnels you through its story. Despite the limited control, Virginia is one of, if not the most cinematic game I've ever experienced. It's a brief experience, and one that may not be for everyone, but if you're a fan of games like Gone Home, Firewatch, and the like, I highly, highly recommend this game.
Anne Tarver |
Both the missing person case and your relationships drive Virginia's story |
This is maybe a bit of a tired comparison, but of any game I played, Virginia very much felt like an interactive movie. This is mostly due to the sweeping score, performed by the Prague Philarhomic Orchestra. The score added another layer of emotion to this tale, and appropriately aligned with what was currently going on in the game. Virginia most definitely has one of the best scores in any game I've played.
The fact that Virginia lets you connect so easily to its main characters, and makes you so invested in their backstories, is incredible considering that this is a game with no dialogue, written or spoken. This isn't even a case of environmental storytelling, either, this is a narrative-driven game with no words spoken. Surprisingly, the story and development excels, despite the "limitation". There were some parts where some parts were I was a bit confused about what was going on, but these weren't major issues, and I eventually figured out what was happening. I even think that these somewhat ambiguous parts were intentional, and the game seems to encourage repeat playthroughs.
However, the game, to me at least, falls apart during its last act (the game is divided by days of the week). The combination of the lack of dialogue, plus many things happening at once, made it almost impossible for me to follow. Again, I figured out what happened, but it was just way too much going on for one to comprehend it fully.
This game is one of the most surreal I've played |
I really, really loved Virginia. To be fair, this is not a game for everyone. The absence of dialogue, in addition to the relative lack of control in the game, will probably be a turn-off for some. It's a game that encourages multiple playthroughs, from its brief playtime to being able to select chapters to play from the menu. Virginia is a special game, and if it even sparks your interest, play it.
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