and Roger
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for and Roger
The best compliment I can give is that it reminds me so much of 2018’s Florence, a game I adore, in how it uses clever interactions to communicate relatable feelings and situations. While I wouldn’t wish the plight of its protagonist on my worst enemy, I would happily recommend this experience as another strong example of video games' strength as a storytelling medium.
and Roger is an eminent example of the power that video game storytelling holds when its gameplay, visuals, audio, and writing converge at their highest points.
The story is short — you should have no problem finishing the entire game in a single sitting — and by design, there are no filler moments, save for the intermissions between chapters. Bending the boundaries of visual novel conventions, and Roger shares a poignant, beautiful story that’s best experienced first-hand.
No fat needs to be trimmed, no minigames for the sake of expanding the time spent with it. And Roger might be another one of the perfect examples of why games aren't just art, but elevate our conception of what art can be, and how it can explore our own humanity. Frankly, it's a fantastic feeling to be reminded of every once in a while and I'd urge you to seek it out for yourself.
Despite being only an hour long, "and Roger" doesn't need more than that to captivate the player and make them understand the story's narrative. The way it's presented and how it uses both gameplay and art style to represent the protagonist's experience is nothing short of brilliant.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
and Roger is a short game that knows exactly what it wants to do and doesn’t wander outside of that. It uses simple interactions to let its story unfold at its own pace, without stopping to explain everything along the way. The gameplay, visuals, and sound all work together, so nothing ever feels disconnected or tacked on. It’s not something you play for excitement or challenge, but for the experience itself. If you’re in the mood for a smaller, more personal game that sticks with you after you’re done, this one is easy to recommend.
And Roger took me from fear to joy to heartbreak, landing somewhere close to bittersweet as the credits rolled. Its constantly shifting controls not only replicate the characters' inner feelings admirably, but also manage to tell me what to do without saying a word. Everyone should take the time to experience this game for themselves.
