Dull Grey

[h1][i]It's not the choice that matters, but the way you make it[/i][/h1] [i]The Strugatskys[/i], [i]Dostoevsky[/i], [i]Tarkovsky[/i]. That's what the store page said and that's all it took for me to fire this up as soon as I could. And what greeted me was a vast grey-white, desolate landscape accompanied by droney, sprawling dark ambient soundscape... and then the black text box appeared with simple words and angular, sharp lines evoking that early 20th century futuristic Soviet aesthetic in black and white. From the colours, shapes, sounds to the words, and overall presentation, everything in this game oozes [i]minimalism[/i] and simplicity. And that goes for its length too. It could be said that [i][b]Dull Grey[/b][/i] is an [b]interactive fiction[/b] equivalent of a short story whose one playthrough can be finished in about half an hour. But it packs quite a bit in that short playtime especially as you play more. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2621902470 Dull Grey is like a [b]choices game about having no choice[/b]. Basically, a choices-don't-matter game. But as the main character will learn, it's not so much about the abundance of options, but the importance that the choice you [i]can[/i] make is actually yours. "It's not only your choice that matters, but the way you make it." And we see that as we follow two characters, Mother and Son, as they go from location to location, on the way for Kir (the son, actual protagonist) to choose his profession. His only two options are [i]lamplighter[/i] or [i]tallyman[/i]. We're always presented with this same choice, as various characters pose the question, over and over: his mother, a robot, his aunt, his crush, an 'uncle', a drunk 'revolutionary' and in the end, the navigator, the one who will actually seal his future. What's interesting is that the choice is always made by the Mother. Even when she's not present, as soon as the question is asked, she rushes in and answers it in place of her Son. But there is something else interesting that happens. I will now mark this as a spoiler not because it's an actual spoiler storywise, as you can't spoil this kind of story, but in terms of having full experience, it's better to discover this through playing it. [spoiler]If you wait long enough, a third option appears, an actual Son's choice, a simple: "I don't know". I discovered this early on, at the very start, thanks to my habit to linger. But if not then, you will see it in front of the navigator as it seems it appears faster then.[/spoiler] I played this by sticking to the same choice at first, tallyman then lamplighter; then mixing it up. The most interesting and amusing in terms of answers and character reactions to them was the one involving the spoiler above. But regardless of what you choose during the playthrough, only the last choice, in front of the navigator, actually matters. The game also autosaves on this last node even if you click to start over. That's convenient. (Otherwise, there's no manual save, but as it's quite short it isn't really missed.) https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2621905766 On this dull journey that looks predestined, you will hear what other characters think about specific profession, especially as you replay it a few times, and that way we can learn about this world bit by bit. [b]World building[/b] is very effectively achieved with subtle, but evocative details. Writing is on point and succinct, relying on visuals and music to convey what is unsaid. All three are minimalistic in nature and all three complement each other like pieces of collage. There's no need for some elaborate exposition because hints and nods actually achieve more, the result being a story simple on the outside, but rich underneath. The world seems to be retro-futuristic with some dystopian vibes, but not quite. It's a sci-fi, technologically advanced society, either what remains of it, or perhaps we're seeing the outskirts of it (the big city of Algova is mentioned). Parts of broken robots are used for porches, abandoned huge spider-robots wander around, navigators have augmented glowing eyes. Empty schools that are not really schools but clubs, stations, gondola, crater, "hot springs, mountains, pale sky and silence" and steam, steam everywhere - we're moving through these locations in a slow-motion long tracking shots that follow the rails like in a Tarkovsky movie. I've never played the developer's previous game, but this is apparently in the same universe of [i]Progress-program[/i], a computer/net-based system that governs the lives of people and calculates the best profession for them, where they fit in a machinery and effectively their future (like an all-seeing benevolent? government). This is some vague communist / collectivist utopia/dystopia or better, utopia turned mundane and monotonous, disillusioned. Strugatsky brothers meet Dostoevsky perhaps. The existentialist idea of dull grey mundane everyday, living but not living, waiting to die; this fatalistic outlook clashing with free will, the question of happiness (Kir's mother asks: "What is this happiness of yours?"), the inevitable but noble suffering that will be rewarded, "the way it should be" - this is all so Slavic/Russian or should I say Orthodox Christian, often tackled in Russian classic literature, especially in the cited as influence, Dostoevsky. These themes are universal and the setting is just a backdrop for a personal tale of Mother and Son, archetypal representations of ordinary people; essentially a coming-of-age story. Progress-program has decided that Kir only has two possible futures which all look the same to him, "foredoomed" with no exit. That's the game: find the other way, 'break' the system, find an error in Progress-program, colour the grey world, make Kir happy. Navigator encourages it. As you dabble with choices a bit, you realise, as the new options/roads open up, [spoiler]that it's essentially an illusion.[/spoiler] It's simple. It doesn't matter what you choose, but how you choose it... and that *you* chose it. And the difference between happy and unhappy endings is one of attitude. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2621922931 What is also interesting is how vague tallyman and lamplighter actually seem. We get a general idea, kind of like Kir, that the lamplighter represents manual labour, an honest physical work suitable for settling with a family (or not), while tallyman is a bureaucratic, analytical, solitary work, one that nurtures comforting loneliness (or crippling). What brings happiness and joy also differs: relax and don't stress in the first case, never relax and always challenge yourself in the latter... or "the suffocating dull grey will be the only thing left." Ah, look how much I wrote for such a short story that looks especially suitable for portable devices and is limited in options. But, I just love when something so simple on the outside proves to have a lot hidden underneath when you scratch the surface. 'More than meets the eye' is an apt description for this interactive fiction gem. [h3][quote][b]Reviewed by [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/40848670-Drugoja-In-The-Dreaming/]Drugoja In The Dreaming[/url][/b][/quote][/h3]

Короткая философская история в виде визуальной новеллы с атмосферой безысходности и вязкой музыкой, (как музыка всех угнетённых народов мира) про одного мальчика на развилке своей жизни. Рассчитана на переигрывания. Проходится примерно за час полностью (с переигрыванием). Мысли в голове останутся после.

Dull Grey - интригующая, мрачная и весьма продуманная текстовая приключенческая игра. Она переносит вас в мир, где вы вольны принимать решения, влияющие на ход сюжета. Визуальные решения, используемые в игре, являются минималистичными и создают ощущение погружения в мрачную реальность. Разработчики не стали делать акцент на прорисовке мира и персонажей, решив сконцентрироваться на сюжетном повествовании, что определенно дало свои плоды (Положительные). Геймплей Dull Grey основан на принятии решений. Вам предстоит делать выбор от лица главного героя/его мамы. И тут же сразу хотелось бы выделить один из минусов: Выбор есть, но выбора нет. В процессе игры вы выбираете только профессию. Да, всю игру единственным решением, которым вы можете повлиять на сюжет, будет выбор профессии главного героя. С одной стороны, это весьма однообразно, но с другой - разработчики сумели сделать из этого что-то особенное, так как на сюжет влияет не только то, какую конкретно вы выберете профессию и будет ли она повторяться, но и то, как долго вы это делаете. Важно отметить, что игра предоставляет несколько концовок, поэтому вам потребуется пройти её несколько раз, чтобы исследовать все. Сюжет глубокий и полон секретов, ответы на которые можно получить в одной из концовок или не получить вовсе. Dull Grey проходится очень быстро, и, не смотря на обилие возможных сюжетных итогов, большая их часть является "прокликиванием" вариантов в заключительной сцене, а не в выборе действий с начала и до конца игры. У меня получилось открыть все концовки только после гайда (руководства) от одного из игроков. И было весьма разочаровывающе узнать, что для их открытия нужно только [spoiler] при каждом выборе ждать некоторое время, пока не появится 3й вариант ответа. А после просто выбирать профессию из списка в конце игры, повторяя это снова и снова. [/spoiler] Dull Grey оставила после себя положительное впечатление благодаря своему стилю, уникальности и идейной составляющей. Она может показаться слишком депрессивной, но для ценителей станет довольно интересным экземпляром в библиотеке Steam. Если вы готовы окунуться в мрачный и загадочный мир, в то время как ваше решение может изменить исход событий, то Dull Grey стоит попробовать.

真正的讽刺在于走完框架内的结局去探索自己的想法时才发现，无论幸与不幸全都被规定好，也只有程序注定好的道路才能走通。自己想成为的最后无一不通往破碎的结局。虽然同样的这几个结局有偷懒之嫌，不过也可以当做一个小的巧思和引人思考的地方。 游戏时间不长，一周目0.5h左右，可惜中间不能存档。好在通关后继续的时候可以直接到领航员那里。前面氛围沉闷压抑有点让人倦怠。虽然设定好像是近现代的未来？但是背景有点窒息感。

[h1] 买之前你要知道，首先，作为一部视觉小说，除了不断重复的那个问题外真的没啥可玩性，其次，该游戏即使是达成全结局，游戏时间还是很短。 [/h1] 因为一周目就因为走神和亲友聊天意外达成隐藏结局，所以可能感受和别的玩家不一样，一周目结局是有让我感到讶异的。总体来说还是推荐，作为一个故事来说，优点就是有始有终，但缺点也是，因为实在是比想象中短，而且觉得很多可以深入讲解的地方反而没了后续，结局否定了未来第二部的可能性，只能期待能推出更多同世界观的游戏了。 [b] 最关键的是没有自主存档点，至少我是没找到，所以那些重复剧情只能靠鼠标连点。 [/b] 在剧情方面，（剧透警告） [spoiler] 因为从最开始就“我不知道”选到底，不论那些职业是基尔现场应付还是真心渴望，在身边人的眼里都是可笑的，以至于最后在领航员的话语中我反而感到了鼓励和肯定，本来以为会是黑客革命之类的结局，结果发现没下文了，搞得我还去找视频看这到底是不是结局。通关全结局后，脑内一直在思考：“基尔想成为的到底是什么。”即便在母亲看来这两条道路一样灰暗，但无论是灯夫还是理货员，幸不幸福都取决于基尔自己的选择，而这是否就意味着程序的正确性？而从最开始一直由母亲主宰的选择，对于尚未明确未来的基尔来说，是否抹杀了他那些“天花乱坠”的想法，将他囚禁于原本的可选范围中？我觉得这些本来都应该在隐藏结局里寻得一个明确的答案，但是戛然而止的文本既是留白也是瑕疵。 [/spoiler] 下面是可能要费点劲的几个成就的达成方式： [spoiler] 促膝长谈：在领航员那里一直选不确定，然后来来回回好几次就达成了。 [/spoiler] [spoiler] 除了”（不）幸福的灯夫（理货员）“外的职业结局和”我不知道“：在选项那里等一段时间就会弹隐藏选项，即“我不知道”，一路选到底[/spoiler] 以下是补充： [b] 切换语言就是点语言直到成中文，一开始在属性找的，害得拿俄语读了半天才被人纠正。 而且不知道是不是译者笔误，在不幸福的灯夫（记得好像是）结局里，前文提到的是“生日派对”，后面却成了“婚礼"。 [/b] 还有就是，母亲那几句阴阳怪气好像Наталья上课阴阳怪气我；；

2023年7月4日，成就通关了《Dull Grey》，大约半小时。一款短小精悍的反乌托邦视觉小说。故事的主线是儿子选择未来的职业。母亲和儿子的矛盾贯穿了整个故事。在去进行职业选择的道路上，母子二人遇到了奶奶、机器人、姨妈、表妹、邻居大叔、革命家等形形色色的人，不论这些人有什么样的性格和生活经历，他们讨论到的需要玩家进行选择的地方只有一个——儿子要从事什么样的职业？有趣的是。每一次都是完全相同的两个选项，“母亲：灯夫”和“母亲：理货员”。灯夫是一个有危险性的工程师岗位，理货员则是一个相对枯燥但是安全的岗位。按照母亲的思路选下去，不管怎么选都不会让儿子得到幸福。然而，如果在每一个选项出现之后等待10秒钟左右，就会有第三个选项——：“儿子：我不知道”。只有让儿子的声音突破母亲的权威，不管这一点权威是否以爱为名，才能够让儿子获得寻求幸福的机会，无论是成为牧师、黑客、昆虫学家、特工还是其他什么，哪怕真的是要成为灯夫或者理货员，也必须是儿子自己的决定才行。这一点微观的决定和宏观的“进步程序”形成了呼应。一个会出错的人工智能，怎么能够决定人类的一生呢？

19 dakikada bitti. Sıkıcıydı, en azından çizimler daha iyi olabilirmiş. Diğer sonları görmek için tekrar kendini oynatacak potansiyelde de değil.

A very short visual novel where you play as Kir, a boy living in a dystopian society. You have been selected to join the Progress-Program and must make a choice that will shape the rest of your life. Will you let others decide for you, or will you choose for yourself? The game features 11 possible endings. An intriguing game to play and replay, to explore every possible dialogue choices.

本作整體還是挺平淡的，但立意和表現方式相當不錯，在設定以及ADV的表現形式上都應了他的立意。還有就是我很喜歡它的結局總是像在說假設性的話，像對婚姻有所期待的人大談他後半生的期許。總用“誰會”來做句。有一天有一天，這就是這麼一個過一天算一天的世界。明天可能會更好，也可能不會。但只要選了自己的選項，那就一定有那樣的可能性。 遊戲簡介是表明了本作是反烏托邦的背景設定。但實際感覺起來更像是制度對人行為的限制，而非對精神和心靈的控制。有好些地方反倒讓人覺得離徹頭徹尾的反烏托邦要寬得多，人們對於各種事情雖然有選項數量上的限制卻不會沒有思考選項的心，劇內很多的人講話都不會給人一種“他們是在某個體制下的人”的感覺，當提到宗教時，那更像是一種說服自己的說辭或藉口而已。甚至作品本身就已經表明了他們並沒有監視屋內，也有人會直接懷疑“進步程序”或對其出言不遜。應該說，更多時間我們看到的，束縛人的不是“進步程序”，而是一個痛苦的母親，出於對剩下來的兒子的不安和寄託，一次又一次的鉗制兒子。每每出現向兒子詢問工作意向時，回答的總是母親，選項也總是那兩個。一次又一次的念叨著，仿佛是在牢中的喃喃自語。 [b]不要安於一成不變和編排，猶疑和迷茫都合法的，在有限與否的選項中選出自己的路。幸福和成功的結局意外的多。[/b]前面所述的以及系統的設計正正是應了本作的真正意圖。 [b]“反烏托邦”[/b]，其實也只是個幌子罷了。[spoiler]（不過作者編不出來（x））[/spoiler]

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