Genre Character of the Week: Thomas

One of my favourite things about speculative and genre fiction is how something so strange and different can be made relatable by a great author and a receptive reader (or viewer or player, depending on the medium).  Whether an alien, machine, or even a simple shape, 

In my latest video game obsession, Thomas Was Alone, developed by Mike Bithell, the main character is a red rectangle called Thomas.  Although Thomas has no face or voice, and is indeed, simply a red rectangle, the game's narration anthropomorphizes the little guy into an intriguing character desperate to help himself and his friends move through a strange and sometimes alarming world.

The game is a pretty simple platformer/puzzle game, wherein you move Thomas and a growing number of his friends through each maze-like level, but is brought to life through great visuals, music and a whimsical narration that demands the game be played with sound, rather than silence.

I'm not quite finished the game yet, but at the rate of five to ten levels a day, I'll be finished soon, and honestly, it ends up being an experience I'm likely to want to replay in the future.