Comparing Cactus and Messhof

cmspice

Level 1

« on: August 12, 2008, 09:48:01 PM »

Seeing the recently announced collaboration http://www.indiegames.com/blog/2008/08/preview_bike_game_messhof_and.html I thought I would make a thread to discuss Cactus and Messhof. Share your thoughts.

Being neither the greatest fan of sadistic platformers inspired by Towers of Hanoi nor shooting games, I admit I've scarcely put more thanit has occurred to me that I seem to subconsciously group their games together in the same category. a few hours into either developer's games. But perhaps from their proliferation or their profound story telling styles, I find the games by Messhof and Cactus all have an incredibly powerful stylistic impact. I like the think the few minutes I spent on games like "Space Fuck" and "You found the Grappling Hook" will be more memorable five years down the road then the 10 hours I wasted on a game like "Lost Planet" (I still wonder why I bought the game).

I should mention that when I refer to Cactus's game, I'm really referencing his story oriented games. I really haven't put enough time into his shooting/experimental games to have much of an opinion on them.

But apart from both being stylistically powerful the two developer's games seem to share something deeper in common. Cactus succeeds at taking retro style graphics and adding a sort of modern zest to them. The games innocently look circa 1990 but are put in context of more contemporary situations. The excessively smooth animation in his games lend to the modern feel. Messhof is not a good artist, yet he can have a keen aesthetic sense. The colors rarely match, and graphics are often poor in quality but ultimately somehow come together to give a positive aesthetic feel. Take "You found the Grappling Hook" for example. The use of white and beige on black feel like a failed attempt to adhere to a two color palette. Moreover the high resolution and detail of the character with smooth motion on the blocky, "pixelated" shall I say, terrain looks nothing short of awkward. Had it not been for my past knowledge of Messhof, I would have easily overlooked this gem from the awful looking screenshots alone. But for anyone who has played and beaten the game, the graphics create a welcome harmony with the plot albeit absurd as it is.

I don't want to give the impression that Messhof and Cactus' similarities are solely in their choice of plot. It really isn't so much what the plot is more so how the graphics and gameplay tie in with the plot. The graphics from both developers always seem out of place and always self unaware. Both their games usually start with the briefest introduction giving only the scarcest information needed to functionally play the game and immediately toss you in a world where you have no idea what you're doing. Messhof's "Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist" has a title that seemingly promises depth and focus on character and yet the game immediately pits you as a drunken driver of a School Bus with a broken steering wheel. Cactus's "Stench" and "Space Fuck" both give a completely out of context introduction and then force the player take actions that have consequences. They create a sort of anti dramatic irony where the game both knows what is happening and accepts it as part of its universe whereas it is the player who is in control that is completely clueless.

This is getting pretty long...

Finally, the way both developers tell their stories. I think their method is unique to the medium of video games. I usually cringe and hiss at people who say video games are a unique genre because of their interactivity. Sure that's true, but what that really means is that when you have a story about blasting aliens, you get to point and aim and miraculously blast through 1000 aliens in a mortal body without breaking a sweat (this subtle criticism applies to all FPSs with the exception of Serious Sam which is just a parody of all those FPSs). But Messhof (particularly in YFTGH) and Cactus integrate game play as part of the plot and experience. The story becomes reliant on the video game medium. In YFTGH and "Stench" especially, you're forced to take actions without really knowing their consequences. There's the feeling of being in control of the character while it is the game that is control of you. The two punishment games are not just suppose to be exceedingly difficult platformer but a self aware masochistic experience of meaningless accomplishment. Finally "Stallions of America" takes a "Serious Sam" senseless violence with balatant criticism that delivers a profound experience and message.

Okay, that's all I have to say. I hope I didn't bore anyone.


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ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)

Level 10

Also known as रिंकू.