#STRANGELAND 2017 FULL#

As someone who doesn’t normally consume any media that is horrific or surreal, I can safely say that I did in fact find the art here very fascinating when it went full into surrealism. This game certainly does a great job at building atmosphere and intrigue with its visuals. Seeing these character designs alone you know made me realize there is a story behind them both that makes you want to learn more. Another prominent character is this blonde woman in a hospital gown. The unnamed main character is a man who seems to be middle-aged who wears a straightjacket and seems to have a bandage wrapped around his forehead.

The character designs have so much to say about the characters. If you look more deeply, you can see an almost bright cloudy eye and the storm-esque kind of thing (which I find to be very interesting considering the ending of the story I was able to achieve). The main menu screen that has two crows (or perhaps ravens) and a skull with purple flames for eyes is also displayed. The setting of the game is a carnival in Strangeland where you can see something as generic a clown head all the way up to some strange creature with numerous mouths and an eye. But it’s done in what I could almost call a “clean” manner, as there is no blood. You see people remove their own faces and the splitting of heads. There are multiple instances of things that could be considered body horror like guts and entrails that left me amazed with how it could be done in a pixelated style. It’s something that could be described as both dark and surreal. The first thing that immediately got my attention when I saw the trailer only was the art style. I’ll be breaking this piece down into sections to go over specifically how different aspects of the game were both used/displayed and how they work well together. It will have you questioning everything that’s going on in the narrative – even if you do follow the dark story closely.

Although I’m new to the point-and-click genre, Strangeland is heavy on story in ways I’m honestly struggling to find words for as my experience with this game felt wondrously one of a kind. Self destructiveness? “Am I losing mind?” My mind is a matryoshka? That’s how Strangeland, a point-and-click adventure game by Wormwood Studios, begins its creeping horror and weird mysteries. And we’re here to open you up.” – The Dark Thing It’s just you, and you, and you, and you, and you. You’ve hidden a hard grain of truth beneath smooth layers of lies. “Now you’re wondering: ‘Am I losing my mind?’ No. This may not be suitable for all audiences.” Spoilers lurk ahead. It also contains horrific yet surreal imagery that may be triggering to some players. “ DISCLAIMER/CONTENT WARNING: Strangeland is a game that deals with mature themes such as grief, mental illness, self-harm, and self-destructiveness.

Strangeland 2017