Game News Look no further, the video game of the year is on Netflix
This year, there is a game that was shunned at the Game Awards and which, in my opinion, deserved a shower of awards: IMMORTALITY, an experience unlike any other.
A story of perspective:
This article is an opinion piece, it is by nature subjective. The opinion of the author is personal and is not representative of that of the rest of JV’s editorial staff. Thanks in advance, happy reading!
This year, I couldn’t find anything more epic than the new God of War epic: Ragnarok. However, when I retrace the thread of the titles that I had the opportunity to explore, it seems to me that nothing has animated or even troubled me more than IMMORTALITY. Usually quite concise in my consumption, this is one of the first times that I have constantly restarted a game every week in the hope of unlocking all the successes. In my opinion, if you like narrative experiences, the creation of Sam Barlow cannot pass under your radar. And if you enjoyed the latter’s previous productions, namely Her Story and Telling Lies, or if you are even slightly sensitive to the use of full motion video, you could soon consider that IMMORTALITY is a master in its register. Like other examples like TUNIC, Pentiment, or more anonymously Not For Broadcast, this game is, in my opinion, the banner of video game creativity in 2022.
Oscar winning performances
Posted in front of an almost empty interface, the player can trigger the sequences of lost film. They all come from a different shoot in which Marissa Marcel, rising star, takes on a main role. Strangely, none of these feature films reached the dark rooms and Marcel disappeared into nature without leaving a note. So many mysteries to unravel as you roll through the films that you unlock by clicking on the key elements of an image: a plant, a bird, a tear, a puddle of blood, etc.
And while I’m trying to put my finger on the prime quality of IMMORTALITY, it seems very difficult to me to choose between his high-flying performances or his exceptionally generous narration. As often happens with Barlow, all the actors are very good; but Manon Gage, main role, is particularly magnetic in the incarnation of her characters and does amply credit to their writing, so much so that his performance will still gravitate in my mind a few days after having finished with the game. The others are not left out; Charlotte Mohlin (Marvel: Agents of SHIELD (2013), True Blood (2008)), who also plays a major role, delivers a game so mystical and confusing that she makes me feel like I can suck my soul through the screen with just a smile. So many qualities also sublimated by a licked staging and a lovely photograph that will encourage you to multiply the screenshots.
High-flying storytelling
And then there is this intertwining of stories and intrigues that I found fascinating : first those told by the films in which Marissa respectively embodies an ultra-sexualized figure of Satan, the enigmatic muse of a murdered painter as well as a popstar who suffers the vices of an immoral industry. There is also the story that we follow behind the cameras, the impeccable development of the characters, and then all that we cannot tell in this post without the risk of spoiling your pleasure. If you can perfectly choose to end the experience in 10 hours of time, you have plenty of time to extend it for another 10 hours to reveal all the sub-layers. And it’s most definitely a game you’ll enjoy discussing the handful of possible interpretations with people.
So of course, I still find some flaws in the experience, mainly in its mechanics, which prevent it from achieving near perfection. The last few hours suffer from your time-consuming clicking on key elements of the images and their sometimes random matching. But in my eyes, IMMORTALITY is nonetheless a masterpiece of storytelling, which is more accessible to as many people as possible. I also hastened to suggest it to my less gamer friends, since it is an excellent gateway for neophytes. Sam Barlow’s achievement would, I think, deserve more recognition and accolades for his individuality and immense respect for art. All that remains is to encourage people to play it. If you feel like it, note that the game is available on PC, Xbox consoles, but also in Xbox Game Pass and on Netflix (and therefore not an extension on a tablet).
