Update Two Hundred and Twenty-One: 2 September 2018
Paradigm
13.7 hours, 18 of 18 achievements
7.5/10
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Do you think point and clicks can get just a little bit up their own asses sometimes? Do you miss the cartridges from the games of your early 80’s childhood? Do you love taking the piss? Electronic music? Vaporwave? Slavshit? Paradigm is for you.
I feel like I am a half a click to the left of being exactly the kind of person this game is made for, and to that end most of the jokes kind of fall flat - I appreciate the effort anyway. The overall story, such as it is, is really just absurd, goofy, and unsatisfying. That’s not why you play Paradigm. You play Paradigm just to see all the dumb crazy shit the creative team - comprised of largely two men who do a good chunk of the voice acting as well, spectacularly I might add - thought of.
A cheeky love letter to the genre, Paradigm’s biggest strength is its luscious set design. The artwork in this game overall is superb, but there was just something about the sets that I adore. The smoothest pixel art I’ve seen, with busy but not distracting environments that draw the eye.
The puzzles are varied and interesting, with the right amount of hints. The game is split into two distinct groupings of levels, and the quick-travel system is great. Exploring the interface is just as fun as exploring the game itself.
Don’t take it too seriously, but if you’ve passed up Paradigm, maybe give it another look.
Next up: My backlog is rapidly diminishing… compared to 2016 and 2017, I really haven’t acquired many games in 2018. That’s good… but it means my wishlist is bigger than ever!
See you soon!
It brings up an interesting question… what happens when you have successfully assassinated all your backlog? Do you get excommunicated from the BLAEO club or promoted to supreme leader?
…. I.
You know….
I.
I….
I think it just means you better buy your ass some more games. There’s no end to this killing! There’s always more games!
Man, that game looks disturbing as sh*t. :p
Ha! You think so? It’s not, really, beyond how GONK the main character looks.
It’s not mainstream but it’s not really disturbing - I think Dropsy is more disturbing, so much so that I’m really not about to pick it up.
I had to look up Gonk. I assume it’s this? I only ask because there are a number of different definitions in Urban Dictionary.
Hahaha holy shit that is… a WIDE range of meanings.
Where I grew up on the internet, gaia online, there was an emoticon called :gonk:. It looked like this: 
A short hand for being really, incandescently fuckt up. My brain completely short-circuited past the censor that stops me from saying shit nobody would have any fucking clue what I was talking about.
I’m imagining you going through different word meanings on urban dictionary, holding each one up like a piece of colored class to my friggin sentence like you’re trying to translate a simile from a dead language. Squinting, sweat standing out on your forehead. Compelled through your case of nerves to find… what in the good god damn I’m talking about…
Oh, my dear Trent.
As for urban dictionary, these are the suggestions I was trying to match with your sentence:
Me at the end of the (failed) exercise:
I’M IN TEARS DLJSLFMDGKDMKLMOF TRENT
Oh, you’re delightful
Ohh, The Inner World next?
I’ll say that it’s one if not my favorite point and click game so far, and I don’t usually enjoy point and click games. :P
God, I remember watching a playthrough of this one and loving it to bits! I feel like being Slavic helps, too :’D
oh, I definitely can see that. Even though it’s not my cultural background, the slavic jokes and references definitely felt real and warm and loving, and I’m glad you enjoyed it and felt that warmth.
I have fond memories of this game, even though it’s maybe like ONE click to the left of really capturing my heart. (I then went back and reread my review and my memories are corroborated!)
Yeah, it was weird to realize the dev is Australian! It just makes me wonder where the adoration for specifically Slavic cultures comes from.
And even if it didn’t become a favorite, let’s face it, it stayed in your memories because of the phat beatsies~
Sorry but I’m gonna spoil to you that The Inner World is.. a nice game! =P
:O :D What a nice spoiler!