VERSION: 0.2.2
Definitions are mercurial, prone to change by time and the subjective whim of communities, cultures and context. When, therefore, is a game no longer truly a game? For some an activity constitutes a "game" so long as it's enjoyable, for others it must possess a clear objective. Video games, in the contemporary sense, are defined by their interactivity and manipulation of images via user-input, yet that alone does not make for a game. Browsing your email on a phone is not a game, though it superficially meets the aforementioned criteria, scrolling through the menu of a DVD is not, nor are several "walking simulators" deemed worthy of the title due to their intermittent interactivity.
How, then, should a production that requires scarcely any input, severely limits player-agency and portrays an explicitly linear narrative be defined? A visual novel? A digital comic book? A game?
Life Happened is a narrative-driven experience, purportedly exploring the life of a middle-aged man and the turmoil of his past relationships, yet so bizarrely written and meandering as to stray often into the surreal. Worse yet, and far more distracting, are the copious grammatical and typographical errors throughout the script. This, despite gratefully acknowledging two users for their extensive proofreading efforts, becomes a distinguishing characteristic of the story: one so awash in errors as to be scarcely worth noting.
Below, a limited number of oversights are noted for the express purpose of demonstrating their prevalence; also included are the pertinent corrections that any proofreading ought to have provided.
"....decisions for me as well right?"
"...decisions for me, as well, right?"
"I am 40 now you know?"
"I am 40 now, you know?"
"This is The beginning of Life Happened."
"This is the beginning of Life Happened."
"Things just happened so fast that I didn't even thought of asking her number."
"Things just happened so fast that I didn't even think of asking for her number."
"Anyway dude what time is it?"
"Anyway, dude, what time is it?"
"Cliche right?"
"Cliche, right?"
"...a violent fight first hand like that."
"...a violent fight firsthand."
"...in a frozen like state hearing all that noise..."
"...in a frozen state, hearing all that noise..."
"Mommentum can be a bitch sometimes."
"Momentum can be a bitch."
"You look worst then I do right now..."
"You look worse than I do right now..."
"...at the boy or whatever was below all of that blood."
"...at the boy or whatever was beneath all that blood."
Below indicates something in a lower position, as in a person standing on a different level of a building, whereas beneath is used when an object is merely covered or obscured by another.
"Preserving some of my youth's innocence..."
EITHER "Preserving some of my youthful innocence..."
OR "Preserving some of the innocence of my youth..."
"Seriously though [charname], I think u just saved my life back there..."
"Seriously though, [charname], I think you just saved my life back there..."
"Three maybe four I guess."
"Three, maybe four, I guess."
"...money was a luxury I and Feio didn't have to spare..."
"...money was a luxury Feio and I didn't have to spare..."
"...our dear Reuben was not whiling to take."
"...our dear Reuben was not willing to take."
These errors continue throughout the production in such numbers as to instill a grave doubt that any proofreading transpired. Proper names that are improperly capitalized, missing punctuation, misspellings, redundant terminology, syntax that borders on the inane, an endless parade of such staggering variety that merely attempting to document them became an insurmountable chore.
Still, even a flawed gem is valuable provided the inclusions don't run too deep; Life Happened is clouded not only by the poor grammar and typographical errors, but the myriad fourth wall breaking moments and meta-commentary, including discussions of Nicolas Cage's filmography, the music of Queen, literal mentions of breaking the wall and self-referential lines such as "
the dev has to be joking" to say nothing of a tasteless in-game poster that requests the player become a patron... egregiously, this poster appears repeatedly throughout roughly thirty lines of dialogue.
The script also detours into sophistry, with remarks such as: "
poor people don't have the luxury of being depressed you know."
Truly? So, roughly three-hundred million people on antidepressants take them to avoid coping with the excessive funds in their bank accounts? The ever increasing number of clinically depressed individuals is directly correlated to the number of billionaires? Too much time on private yachts alongside supermodels will do that, right?
Yet, as noted in the introductory portion of this review, it is the lack of interactivity that so starkly defines the experience. The narrative is exceedingly linear, delivered in a tedious barrage of exposition ten or fifteen minutes at a time between permitting the player even a single choice: is the woman before you transgendered or not? Will you cheat on your girlfriend? Is your lovemaking tender or rough?
That's it.
One choice, ten minutes of ham-fisted exposition. One more choice. Repeat.
Worse yet, the UI itself often impairs the player's ability to enjoy the dialogue. The text is presented in white with a black drop-shadow rather than a full outline, atop a semi-transparent gray background; this becomes dreadfully apparent during one sequence in which the entire screen is white, washing out the text to such a degree it's nearly indecipherable. Even during the sections in which it remains visible, one particular element is both distracting and obnoxious: a large button labelled "
Become a patron." In tandem with references to their patrons in both the introductory and epilogue sections of Life Happened, the poster advertising their Patreon page and this perpetual reminder, the experience becomes ever more akin to watching an unending commercial.
Even so, certain elements are worthy of acclaim, notably the ability to avoid the more divisive content (NTR and transsexuals) though certain other fetishes are indulged regardless of the player's preference. Unshaven, or otherwise hairy-limbed women, for instance, are very much against societal norms and, despite social media trends that represent a mere 2% drop in the overall population, remains an incredibly niche fetish. Sadly, some of the most prominent erotica focuses on a woman whose detailed body hair glistens in the light and lends her otherwise svelte form a certain masculinity, her arms, legs and torso literally covered in highly-detailed follicles.
Regrettably, that attention to detail does not extend to all of the graphics: somewhat of a mixed bag, Life Happened boasts scenes that are nearly professional quality intermixed with scores of mediocre and even poor composition. The recollection sequences, that constitute a majority of the images, are a muddled mess, post-processing filters washing out any contrast and stark shadows making it difficult to discern more than mere shapes. Semi-transparent textures are also commonly applied, further obscuring the detail.
In all candor, playing the game was rather like browsing the gallery of a pre-teen who just received their first smartphone. Every image is masked by a filter, the natural colors replaced by "dusk" and "golden rose," emotional moments desaturated by "retro" and "harvest sepia" tones. Coupled with the faux lens flare, as if the protagonist was viewing his memories via video cassette, the overwhelming majority of images are so grotesquely over stylized as to forego any genuine style.
Fortunately, the development team dials back the filters for a limited time, allowing the player to momentarily enjoy what is, honestly, significantly appealing art. The animated sequences, which are short but sweet and with a natural degree of motion, are also devoid of the filters. The choice to exclude these filters during the final erotic sequence, focusing explicitly on the character models, was artistically bold and functions elegantly as an analogue for the narrowing of one's perception during moments of intense passion.
That it takes roughly twenty minutes, slogging through the lengthy exposition and numerous black screens, before any semblance of erotic content appears is likely to discourage several players. These sequences, with their evocative posing and a focus on intimacy, are genuinely superb... only to be immediately undermined by the dissolution of their relationship in a line or two of dialogue. Scenes of passionate lovemaking, of confessions about fidelity and lust, exposition that bluntly informs the player of how they moved in together and spent each night in one another's arms, all dashed aside in a moment such that the player can hasten toward their next conquest.
It's too swift, too unnatural and feels too much as though the developer merely desired to use a new model. That suspicion is vindicated as, one after another, this pattern repeats for every woman that appears: they're introduced, they copulate and then, despite even the fiercest protestations of love or commitment, they drift apart to allow another model to assume their place. New renders, new setting, then reset.
GRAPHICS -------------------------------------------------------- 4 / 10
+ Animated sequences are smooth, appearing both natural and beautifully composed
+ Erotic scenes are wonderfully lit and posed, with multiples perspectives provided
- Overwhelming majority of scenes are obscured by excessive filters, film grain, textures and other elements
- UI elements are difficult to comprehend due to a poor choice of white text on a white background in certain scenes
- Certain fetish material depicted quite often is likely to be unappealing to a significant degree of players and is unavoidable
- Several scenes are laden with Patreon advertisements, including a persistent element of the UI
DIALOGUE -------------------------------------------------------- 3 / 10
- Grammatical and typographical errors of every conceivable type, extensively littered throughout the script
- Poor characterization, unrealistic motivations and a nonsensical central narrative
- Nonsensical arguments, non-sequiturs and gibberish abound
- Scenarios seem contrived and relationships meaningless given how rapidly they are abandoned
GAMEPLAY ------------------------------------------------------- 3 / 10
+ Ability to exclude certain fetish content
- Linear nature and exhaustive exposition limits player agency almost entirely
INNOVATION ---------------------------------------------------- 2 / 10
- Excessive and deliberate fourth wall breaks
- Patreon advertisements that are blatant and off putting in their frequency
SCORE =========================================== 12 / 40
A CONFOUNDING MESS, OVERLY STYLIZED AND STRINGENTLY LINEAR
Life Happened exists in a state of turmoil, burdened by bizarre framing, a narrative founded on unrealistic motivations and art that is so desperate to be stylish that it loses any sense of identity. Characters routinely behave in peculiar fashions, presenting non-sequiturs and abandoning them instantly, engaging in violence and sexual activity at the drop of a hat, whilst each new character confesses to some heinous childhood trauma and, as a result, no one seems real. The focus on anguish and misery, to the utter detriment of the brighter and more uplifting aspects of a relationship, pervades every element of the experience. The writing lacks insight and grit, substituting stereotypes instead, and bereft of humanity or humour there is no redemption for its cast. Perhaps there is some depth to the narrative at hand? Yet if this does represent the grim reality of a single life it seems likely to resonate with few if, indeed, anyone could appreciate what happened at all.