Review: Gravity Bone

Where to start with this one? Labelled a marvel, the best 'art-house' game of 2008 (by Game Tunnel) and loved by those who played it. Brandon Chung may have just found his 15 seconds of fame, or more realistically, 15 minutes.

Gravity Bone is different. It's not an A-grade game. It doesn't have a 20 hour campaign or hundreds of side quests. It has 2 levels. Two. It feels as though it was either a large-scale project ended prematurely or a big idea with only a small taste to show what it was. It's more like a portfolio piece; it's only a little side-project and only used to show off it's wares. That's what I got from it anyway.



The first thing you notice when you start Gravity Bone is the way it puts you straight into the...whatever it is. I was going to say action, but it's not really action, or is it? I guess that's one of the details the game has; it doesn't have a lot of anything but it has bucket-loads of everything else. Anyway, you start off by descending on an elevator into what looks like a party of some description. The game expects you to assume that moving the mouse allows you to look around. To your right, you see a sign explaining how to move. You're also carrying a card which tells you to go to the "Furnace Room". Why? You're not told until after the level but even then, it leaves you pondering the exact nature of what you do and your 'clients'.



As you can probably tell, I'm trying my best not to spoil the game. I know you'll be saying "but it's only two levels, why not?" but the truth is that you need to experience it for yourself and interpret it the way you want to. You don't need to depend on what I think of the story except that the way the story plays out leaves a lot to be known. It's mysteriousness is probably the best thing about the game besides the graphics, which I haven't even touched on yet. The graphics show that you don't need the most sophisticated game engine churning out the best photo-realistic graphics money can buy. The heads of the people are cubes. Deal with it. It reminds me of Minecraft left in the 70's; the psychedelic colour palette will just stay in your mind.

Some games are just that: games. There are those which are different and somehow hit a nerve with the player. They stay with you. Gravity Bone, even for it's short length, does that. I still get that feeling when I play it and I've played it a good 30 times.




-- FINAL VERDICT --

Platform Used: PC

Score: 8/10

Recommendation: Definitely try. Now.


It's free to download. It lasts 15 minutes. It doesn't require the best computer this side of Russia.

You have no excuse.

Find it here: http://gravity-bone.en.softonic.com/