Contrast – Multidimensional platform adventure
Contrast is an imaginative and powerful adventure game with a unique twist from indie developer Compulsion Games . In it, you’ll play Dawn, the imaginary friend of a young girl trying to hold together a dysfunctional family. Dawn has the ability to switch between the 3D world of light into the 2D world of shadow. Following in the tradition of innovative games that make you think outside of the box, such as Portal or Limbo, Contrast forces you to reevaluate your problem solving skills and transform mundane objects into complex platforms to get from place to place. There’s so much going for this game that I sincerely hope we see a sequel that will expand the concept and address some of the shortcomings of this title.
I had been looking forward to the release of Contrast since we first saw it at PAX Prime. Because of the demo at PAX I already had some idea of what to expect from the game mechanics and how to deal with the game environments. The interplay between the 2D and 3D worlds is great. The only frustrating part of it comes from having to make trial and error estimations to solve some puzzles. Running back to a control panel to make minute adjustments in order to get platforms to just the right level for a jump can get old pretty quickly. However, that doesn’t happen very often and it usually only takes one or two attempts to figure it out.
The ambiance of the gritty 1930s nightlife is a great backdrop for the story. A man indebted to the mafia trying to win back his cabaret singer girlfriend and her daughter so that they can all be a family again is a timeless story. Or it’s something out of a cheap pulp novel. Either way, it’s the kind of dark backdrop being explored through the eyes of a child that you just can’t expect to end well. The world itself is full of surreal imagery, broken landscapes, and shadows of people and things that don’t exist in the material plane that you see around you. The only way that you interact with people other than Didi is through these shadows that they cast on your world.
The story felt a bit convoluted when it comes to just who Dawn is. I won’t give you any spoilers, but even with the information you pick up through collectibles scattered around the game, it’s not entirely clear by the end of the game just what is going on. I would, however, love to discuss theories about it in the comments section below if you have any thoughts on it after completing the game.
While the game is rather fun and unique, there are a few glitches and hiccups with the physics that can get a little annoying from time to time. I got a little miffed at certain jumping puzzles that are put near crates that seem like obvious starting places that you’re not allowed to actually stand on. Managing to do so left me floating in mid air which, as it turns out, was less than ideal.
The last thing that I want to really make a note of is the soundtrack. The OST (included with the collector’s edition of the game) is spectacular even if the instrumental tracks are a little on the brief side. The only problem (may be specific to PC version 11173) is that you spend most of the game running around without any music playing. The silence started to really grate on me after an hour or so of play. When the music is present in interludes, it’s exceptionally welcome.
Contrast is an immensely enjoyable single player game experience. It’s fun to think outside of normal physics to solve puzzles and move through a dark and gritty world. If you have a love of platformers and adventure games, you should enjoy Contrast. Be warned though: Contrast will only take about 2 – 3 hours to play completely through and the incentive for replay is rather low. Do keep your eyes open for some easter eggs in the game though. I’ve personally found a pink bar of soap in the cinema with the name Jack on it (supposedly the name of the narrator in Fight Club) as well as a blue police box (yeah, it’s probably a TARDIS) near a crumbled ledge behind a fence and an animated list of thanks for Extra Life 2012 donors. Find anything else? Let us know about it in the comments!
