Experience and Response

While I was demo-ing the game, I was overcome by a sense of spirituality and pacifism. The pixel art, though perhaps considered primal in the modern age of gaming, was vibrant and idyllic, evoking a great sense of appreciation for the beauty of the virtual environment. The soundtrack also aided in creating an atmosphere of tranquility and whimsicality with its focus on a few basic sounds as opposed to an overlay of several complex pieces as is often the case for modern games. Throughout the experience, I felt that I transcended the realm of humanly worries as all of the in-game players were transformed into Dwaals, tiny, but significant inhabitants of a remote island on an eternal sea, perhaps purposefully non-gendered as a subtle gesture to our institutionalized binary. As I performed various rituals that served to nurture the world tree, KWAAN, created unique artistic additions to the pixel environment, and interacted with others to collectively maintain the harmony of life, I immersed myself in the interdependent relationship between civilization and the natural environment; I relied on the available natural resources to perform necessary tasks and live life to its potential, just as the spirit of the world depended on my ritualized actions to remain healthy and vibrant.