Tuesday, September 01, 2015

Soon, the great Saiyan Krang War will finally come to an end!

If I was going to participate in another adventure title, I assumed it would need to be a game that's a bit more engaging than watching the party auto attack through random encounters and solving inapt (sometimes convoluted) puzzles.
Ok, so we have trivia questions, a block sequence, and an indoor forest maze... I'm surprised Dedan didn't place two dozen cans of soup right outside his door. 
Mechanically, this isn't that game, but when I'm offered Pepper Steak, it's hard to say "no" to Cody's request. I love steak and music. Making them one in the same is deliciously entertaining to the ears.
Yeah, I know. I kinda wish I did have all that soup.
OFF is the product of a Belgian using the 2003 RPG Maker in 2007. The game was translated from French into English soon after it's release, and has developed a cult following over the years. Popularity for this RPG has grown significantly more thanks to well-known Let's Players like Markiplier, which is why one of his fans asked me to type about it, instead of finishing what I was originally working on.

Not relevant, but interesting to note: an official worldwide version of the RPG Maker used didn't appear until April of 2015 on Steam. (Hmmm... maybe that's why Japanese laugh bubbles were used.) Later versions of the RPG Makers were released prior to this, and they offer considerably more options, but they're also more expensive. 2003 is the affordable choice for amateur developers, and, clearly, it still provides enough tools to create something truly amazing.
Just like MS Paint.
 -_-
The game's dull battle system is compensated (and then some!) by its bright environments contrasting an achromatic cast of charismatic cretins and bizarre storyline that leaves many wondering whether or not there are hidden meanings to discover (I'm sure there are plenty, but I bet a good chunk of those discovered are the results of apophenia, too.) Inspiration seems to have come from Earthbound, Paranoia Agent, Silent Hill, American McGee's Alice...
Um, Saint's Row?
and, as noted in the credits, Suda 51, the mindfuck maker of Killer 7 (among other titles). OFF's creator, Mortis Ghost, has proven to be quite responsive (and polite) to his fans, though he leaves most questions opened to interpretation. A smart move on his part, as I'm fairly certain this game wouldn't be half as popular with an explanation. Plus, I don't believe there is only a single connection shared throughout anyhow. OFF feels more like a handful of ideas that were amalgamated to help raise the weird factor and keep the players guessing. In all likelihood, Mortis will probably never provide us with all the answers. Regardless, the lore here is just far too intriguing to ignore, especially when even seemingly-empty dialogue regularly proves itself to be additional bits of foreshadowing.
So, wait! Does that mean it IS something without you? *smirks*
The soundtrack is a collection of poorly-looped experimental music that fits perfectly into the game, but with the sounds of squishing meat, the screaming of a buzz saw in action, shushed whispers, the pounding on metal, and faint cries for help, I'm going to assume this is not the sort of music many will incorporate into their playlists. Still, it's so well integrated into the adventure that it would be wise to follow the advice given to you right before your game begins. The OST is free with the game, which is free to play, so feel free to download them both... for free. Most likely, you'll only keep the mp3 of Pepper Steak on your music player, and that's fine. OFF's soundtrack is meant to help with immersion, rather than to have a continuous effect on the player that inevitably diminishes with hours of play. I mentioned this problem before with the Silent Hill soundtracks, and appreciate Coldwood's efforts to subvert it. There are even a few moments where a certain piece will override everything else for that added bit of emphasis, or to provide a subtle clue as to what's really going on, as is heard during Enoch's chase, and while one is admiring the results of The Batter's mission.

Shared themes are everywhere in this game, too:
~Attacks from each character share a common theme, like baseball, time, literature, music, forms of traumas, chess, and math.
~Trash mobs include spectres named after famous killers, which OFF forces the player to realize by incorporating one of them into a puzzle.
~ Special equipment named after Zodiac signs, bones, ball players, and days.
~Guardians are named after Biblical figures, meats after Biblical demons, and three halo-shaped Add-On companions who are associated with the Holy Trinity.

It's difficult to determine whether or not any these naming themes actually mean anything, because they may just have been a convenient way to label stuff, like I did in Blue when I named my Pokemon after elements of the Periodic table. *Whenever I play a new Pokemon game, I still use the name Tungsten for Pinsir. I also use it for MMO characters.*

There is so much to enjoy, especially with the small details, like the use of the title screen during gameplay, the survivor of Zone 2, Ballman and Boxxer, The Batter's personality, and even the phrase "Purification in progress" in response to "I'm here," but with main characters breaking the fourth wall, it leaves me to wonder if the real explanation is as simple as, "All of this is just a video game, so none of it actually matters."

Ahem, or maybe this is all just a dream. I mean, Pablo does plays the role of the Cheshire Cat, the official ending comes with Judy Garland singing Over the Rainbow, and Zacharie is revealed to be Patrick Duffy once his mask is removed. There are also some minor reasons to believe in this theory, but, if this turned out to be true, it would be anticlimactic and extremely irritating for many of the fans. Again, I think it's a smart move for Mortis Ghost to remain silent.

Acknowledgements:

CodyL - He requested this garbage! It's his fault!
Cooper - Attacked my face while I was using my 3DS to type part of this blog entry.
Josh - Borrowed S.T.E.A.M.. Still has it.