As a constant champion of games that dare to favour atmosphere and/or experimentation over "gameplay", I feel I should have appreciated this one a bit more.
As it stands, there [i]is[/i] some gameplay; and there isn't even anything wrong with the fact that it uses only three buttons. Minor miracles can easily be achieved within such parameters. The problem is that, for all its minimalistic-yet-pleasing visuals and frankly exemplary sound design, there isn't really much of an [i]experience[/i] here, much less a "story".
The ending is almost poignant for a brief millisecond before you remember that, wait a minute, there's absolutely no context here, so why [i]should[/i] I be feeling anything? Break it down and it's basically a bit of speeding up and slowing down to avoid a few obstacles, ducking to avoid a couple of other obstacles, then a bit of a final cutscene and that's about it.
As demos go, it shows potential. But it's definitely not a fully-fledged "game" by any stretch of the imagination; and remember, this is coming from a guy who thinks that "walking simulators" can make [i]great[/i] games. This just didn't take me on a "journey", which is generally the first thing I ask of any artistic product - video game or otherwise - that I bother to engage with.
I'll certainly give it a thumb-up, on account of not only the pros I've listed thus far, but also the two saving graces of: a. it won't take up more than ten minutes of your time, and b. it won't cost even ten cents of your hard-earned moolah (well, maybe for the diminutive download, if you have an exceptionally shi*ty internet plan).
Recommended, sure, but only to those with a very broad definition of what constitutes a valid "gaming" experience.
Verdict: 6/10.
(PS If you enjoyed this review, feel free to check out my two Curator pages: http://store.steampowered.com/curator/9284586-ReviewsJustfortheHELLofit/
http://store.steampowered.com/curator/10868048-Truly-Horrible-Horror-Games/?appid=398210
Cheers!)
