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.

Things I've Noticed: I'm getting pretty excited about computer games

Although I'm a huge fan of console games (currently, I'm playing the PS3 pretty much exclusively, but we have a Wii and over the years I've enjoyed a number of Mario and Zelda games on that console as well), I have to say that every once in a while a good old computer game just grabs my attention and won't let go.

Take And Yet it Moves, for example - I purchased the game a few years back after hearing a positive review on a  show called Little Miss Gamer and found it to be one of the most fun maze style games I've ever come across - the music and images are great (think a sort of papier-mâché collage look), but the mechanics, wherein you not only control the character but also the game world make for an incredibly intriguing game that feels incredibly satisfying to complete level by level.

In the last two weeks I've actually heard a lot about a couple of games that are definitely going to end up on my January purchase list (I don't buy anything this type of year for fear that I may make someones Christmas gift to me obsolete).

The first is called Gone Home, and as soon as I saw the trailer, I immediately thought, "Wow, this is exactly the kind of game my wife would love", mysteries, a lack of punch-and-jump action sequences and a really great immersive feel.

Finally, I've been hearing a lot about the game Thomas Was Alone, which looks like exactly the sort of game I can play when I have a few minutes and also the kind of game that is all right to play while my kids are in the room (I'm looking at you God of War series, for some uncomfortable gaming experiences that started with, "Hi Dad, what are you playing - EWWW!!!!)

Anyway, I just thought it might be worth a mention that the games I'm most excited about right now are pretty cheap, available online, and winning all sorts of awards - Way to go, Computer Games!