Always Sometimes Monsters Reviews
Always Sometimes Monsters is one of those independent, cult-classic-to-be, games that fans of narrative storytelling should really give a chance. Whatever flaws it may have are obvious and avoidable, and at no point did I encounter something game-breaking that soured my time. There are plenty of paths to choose from, feelings to explore, and surprise consequences that will make you give yourself a high-five or scream at you monitor. The Vagabond Dog boys have made a solid start.
Always Sometimes Monsters is as real as it gets, which is impressive for a traditional pixel RPG presentation. Many situational scenes can both be larger than life and still reflect it perfectly, all in an overall goal that can be befuddled by personal interests or sudden needs.
Always Sometimes Monsters is a fascinating, utterly engrossing morality play, delivered as a Game Maker adventure that constantly asks questions of the player. There have been games that deal with difficult decisions before, but perhaps none so deftly as this. Always Sometimes Monsters is a marvel.
As Johnny Cash once said, "I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back." In Always Sometimes Monsters, you're already carrying that darkness. It's just a matter of how far you can go with that much weight on your shoulders.
If you're inclined to play a mature game with mature decision-making, I do highly recommend Always Sometimes Monsters. The game smartly tests how effectively you choices play out in the final act, something I don't wish to spoil but Vagabond Dogs deserves praise for.
Always Sometimes Monsters isn't the first game to get clever with morality. It's not the first game that's had a few grey areas. It also isn't about either of those. It's about perspective. It's about empathy. It's about who we are and why we do what we do. That narrative is one of contradiction and hypocrisy, because that's what real people are about.
Always Sometimes Monsters isn't without problems, but like the characters in it they are simply part of a whole that you can still love despite their obvious flaws.
Indie developer Vagabond Dog and edgy publisher Devolver Digital have put together a visually charming, audibly impressive, but otherwise unfulfilling little title that I doubt I would return to. The 9 hour journey from beginning to end is a tumultuous one, filled with depressive tendencies, impossible choices, monotonous repetition, and nary a decent character in sight.
"Always Sometimes Monsters" is as much of a mirror of the player as it is a looking glass to view the world through the eyes of the creators. It elicits thought about life philosophies. Any game that explores the existential crisis is a welcomed break from the tightly compartmentalized genres of contemporary gaming. Assigning a static review score to a game such as this seems silly. Play it and see where it takes you.
Much like life, Always Sometimes Monsters is brilliant but flawed. There's strong stuff in there, made only better by its rarity within games.