I want to write a brief comparison of
the gameplay in Closure to that of Where is My Heart? If you don't
know about the games' mechanics, this post will make no sense. Go
read my reviews, or better yet, just go play them first! I think they
are both excellent games, and although their story themes are quite
different, the way they play is similar and complimentary. Both
heavily involve perspective and reality.
In Where is My Heart?, the level
layout exists. You perceive it through the panels given to you
in any given level. The arrangement of the panels does not affect the
layout. You perception does not affect reality. You are kind of
battling your own mind just to understand the layout of the levels.
In Closure, the level has a layout,
but it is manipulated by your perception. Only what you can see is
reality. The layout of the level bends to your perception of it.
Reality changes to match what you are seeing.
If Where is My Heart? Followed
Closure's rules, you could rearrange the panels to change the layout
of the level. If Closure followed Where is My Heart's? rules, you
could walk around in the dark and run into objects you couldn't see,
and the light would just be manipulated to help you see the level.
Both would be totally different games if they switched rules like
this. It would be very interesting to see. I'd would love it if the
creators of both of these games got together and messed with the
rules of each others' games, or made a new game (or games) exploring
these ideas even further.
I was going to throw in comparisons to
Quantum Conundrum and The Unfinished Swan too, but I think keeping it
to just these two favorites of mine makes it a more streamlined and
interesting post. I just thought it was really neat how these two
games both deal with perception and reality in regards to their
gameplay. I played them relatively close together, and when I
realized that they were almost opposites gameplay-wise it made me
appreciate both of these great games even more.
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