Sink into a one-bit revival
Many games have tried to capture the charm and quaint interactions of older online forums, from AIM to webrings and message boards. Videoverse takes the same nostalgic approach, mixing aspects of the Miiverse and other gaming console networks.
The latest from One Night Stand developer Kinmoku (thanks for the spot, NintendoLife), Videoverse is a trip back to earlier days of the internet where fan forums and online social networks, embedded within consoles, were all the rage.
Games like Hypnospace Outlaw and Emily Is Away have tapped into older forms of online communication for storytelling before, and often to good results. Videoverse takes aim squarely at the Miiverse-like message boards, with some MSN messenger and classic message boards mixed in for good measure.
The whole affair takes place in a one-bit, pixellated tone that reminds me a bit of World of Horror. It also has some tunes from Slay the Spire and Kind Words‘ Clark Aboud.
Status update
Videoverse plans to be a decision-based narrative adventure, running about six hours. There are also multiple side stories, and other things to mess with like your avatar and personal quote. Hopefully I’ll be able to set ambiguous song lyrics as my profile quote. Y’know, for authenticity’s sake.
Accessibility options are also on board, with closed captions, self-voicing, colorblind-friendly themes, and clear fonts.
I’m pretty into this pitch, both on its face and the more I read into it. Up front, it’s nostalgic and fun, with a gorgeous art style and great concept. The more I dig though, the more I enjoy the fun little notes you can see in the interface, and the variety of drawings shown off on the game’s store page. Videoverse could resurface a lot of nostalgia for this era of internet interaction, and I’m interested to see what story Kinmoku tells with it.
Videoverse doesn’t have a date set yet, but is “coming soon.” You can wishlist it on Steam here.
Published: Aug 18, 2022 12:00 pm