The Facade
There were a few small hiccups here and there to get everyone running but once everything was ready to go I sat myself down with a nice hot mug of earl grey and got down to work. The concept was a very interesting one in my opinion. A “game” where you can interact with characters in a non-conventional manner through your own text and ideals. Through experimentation and decision making Grace and Trip will react to you differently in almost every run-through. Now that is intriguing. As someone who has played videos all his life I can say that the vast majority of popular games do not necessarily approach the industry in this manner. The graphics can be awkward and broken at times. The movement is strange as the controls aren’t the standard WASD keys we have come to find in most PC games. The colour pallet is also very simplistic and lacks a lot of variety.
Despite the concept being a unique one everything else falls off in my opinion. The immersion is constantly broken by the lack “real” responses to your comments. Most of the responses and reactions are simplistic outcomes judged by basic words in your sentences as well as where you choose to click. While I understand that technology and funding are a huge factor to do with AI, I can’t help but feel uninterested. What the game does get sort of right is the interaction of a strained and failing couple. The bitter arguments over even the most trivial matters. Escalating frustration and anger are decently executed. Grace’s decision with her current career in advertising instead of her initial desire to become an artist eats at her and strains her relationship with Trip. Trip, who is materialistic, perpetuates this lack of fulfillment and regret by nudging Grace away from her life as an artist. Trip is also obsessed with keeping up the facade of being a perfect, attractive and happy couple when there are obviously very large problems in the relationship. Grace’s frustration leads her to attack Trip with every little thing and Trip’s reactions are bitter and sarcastic. Eventually Grace makes the tough but mature decision to move out to focus on herself instead of staying in a detrimental relationship. Which is very admirable if I might add.
There’s really only two ways to “beat” Facade. You can either knock on the door and do a complete 180 degree turn to leave, or you can be so repulsive in your actions or responses to merit you an escort out of the apartment. Save yourself the trouble of sticking yourself in a heated couple’s war and head for the elevator. The concept for Facade is deceptively interesting but the moment Trip greets you at the door and welcomes you in is when the charm begins to fade away, quickly. In terms of story and the outcome, I feel as though it doesn’t matter what you do because either way, the relationship will end. That much can be certain. The consequences of your choices affect the roads you take but the destination is still a divorce. It’s barely interesting to see how funny their answers can be.
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