Game Thoughts - Thomas Was Alone

Hey everybody. Today, I'm bringing you my thoughts on the indie platformer game: "Thomas Was Alone". Now, I know what you're thinking, isn't this supposed to be on movies? Well, this game is quite special because it is more than just a game you play for the mechanics, but a game that is truly a piece of art. Now let's begin. (Oh if you wanted some background music, here is the soundtrack. Click to listen while you read).

Thomas Was Alone was released in 2012, originally intended to be a flash web game. Now, it is available on Steam, mobile devices, and Playstation. With a first glance, it appears to be a budget run of the mill platformer. However, it looks simple because it is intended as a minimalist game. One look at the title screen shows that if the developers wanted, the game could have cool next-gen graphics, but instead, they willingly chose to have the game the way it is. Why? Because this game tells a story and sends a message that in one way or another will resonate with every one of us. I know this is probably the cheesiest thing you've ever read but you have to believe me here. If you play this game, please take a solid portion of time to play it, don't play it one level at a time on the toilet or something. The ambiance feel of the game's strange world mixed with the music is something so special and requires immense tweaking to get just right. And did they get it right? 100% yes. The atmosphere of the world makes you feel alone and tranquil, in a good way and a bad way. It's the type of feeling that compels you to go for a bike ride through downtown at 2am because why not.

An Ambient Setting

Clean Cut Menu

The game focuses on these block characters which all have their own unique abilities. Some can jump higher while some are smaller and can get into special places. Using them together, you solve puzzles that one would not be able to by itself. Each level starts with a narration by Danny Wallace describing the block's interactions. These little snippets are so fantastic that over time, you start to associate personalities with each of the blocks. It's truly something special when a game can make you call these block things by name and emotionally invest yourselves in them because they represent very real characters that all of us interact with or maybe are. They are all some sort of metaphor of a type of person, some fitting into some archetypes. There's the outcast, jock, but then there's more complicated characters. Over time, a story is formed. The interesting thing here is that it's not just some crappy story thrown into a video game but it's a story told through the medium of video games. The story is about friendship through all odds and how you don't always have to be alone. It's truly beautiful, there's conflicts both external and internal and then there's character development. All in all, it's about a group of strangers alone who come together and navigate an ever so punishing world to find where they fit in life. And they're just a bunch of blocks.

Once you finish this game, you feel this real connection with each and every member of the gang. It's one of the few games that I felt has made a profound impact on me as a person. And if you're still reading this, go and play - no experience the game now. You won't regret it.