Indie games are unpredictable. Some overflow with creative storylines, unforgettable characters, or even a stimulating gameplay experience. However, there are numerous indie titles in the world that make you question the developer’s sanity, along with your own for playing it in the first place. Sometimes, you find yourself even enjoying them. With that stated, I take it upon myself to dig deep into the dark and quirky nooks and crannies of the video game community. This is The Odd and The Indiescribable.
Have you ever questioned if the skeletal frame that provides you with your general shape isn’t actually yours? In the unusual case that maybe you have, 11:45 A Vivid Life takes players on a short journey through Laynie’s own discovery that something is very off about the skeleton behind her flesh. Yikes.
Deconstructeam introduces a bizarre tale of high school student Laynie. She has the disturbing realization that her skeleton is not her own. Naturally, she somehow manages to embezzle an X-ray machine without anyone questioning her motives and flee the country. As she speeds down the highway, clicking through Laynie’s prologue enlightens players of her definitive plan to peek into the crevices of her skeletal frame. Also, what secrets will the X-ray’s images expose?
The first thing I noticed was how polished 11:45 A Vivid Life is. The detailed pixelated visuals demonstrate even the most intricate details. For example, the gameplay clearly displays Laynie slicing her thigh open to confiscate a bullet. There’s a method to her madness, I promise. The sci-fi soundtrack enriches the strange gameplay, for identifying random gadgets inside of Laynie’s body isn’t exactly heartwarming. The narrative aspect also deserves a respectable head nod. Even though Laynie’s journey is a little farfetched, the writing produces a stimulating story to accompany her findings.
At one point, Laynie notices a crystal eye where an ordinary eye should be. After exiting the X-ray machine, she can saunter over to her picnic blanket. She then gauges out the fake eyeball to examine it. After the fact, Laynie nonchalantly puts it back into its socket. Morbid much? Whichever oddities she unearths with the X-ray, the player can deter the story with Laynie’s responses to her discoveries. However, as she transmits her findings through a broadcast system, a voice consistently retorts with, “Please come home.” Who is this strange being reacting to Laynie’s broadcasts? What do they want?
The only apparent frustration in 11:45 A Vivid Life develops from continually having to exit and re-enter the X-ray every time you want to examine a different part of Laynie’s body. To be honest, it's a tedious act that’s a little unnecessary. Nonetheless, the interactive story exhibits an array of choices to direct Laynie’s thought process differently. Not to mention, the disturbing process of perhaps throwing up an unusual substance in her stomach. Perhaps maybe even pulling out mysterious superficial teeth with a pair of pliers. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do to learn the truth.
I don’t want to reveal too many spoilers concerning Laynie’s discoveries and their proper meanings, but I do highly recommend heading over to Deconstructeam’s page to unmask Laynie’s true identity for yourself. 11:45 A Vivid Life is free to play and only requires twenty minutes or so of your time. The eccentric story may surprise you while simultaneously creeping you out, but I enjoyed my time with Laynie and her experimental trials.
TechRaptor played 11:45 A Vivid Life on PC with a copy downloaded from itch.io.
What are your thoughts on 11:45 A Vivid Life? Do you have a game in mind that you would like to see covered? Let us know in the comments below!
