The Beginner's Guide

The large quantity of this review is a spoiler. I have made the decision to read this as a narrative, regardless of whether this is a true story or not. [spoiler] I've never felt like such a mirror was held up to me yet. I've personally been playing with idea of the "satellite person," one who doesn't quite believe in their own intelligence or creativity, but still valorizing these qualities, and thus finds themselves needing to attach themselves to one who believes they embody these values to be successful. I notice a similar theme in TSP and TSP: Ultra Deluxe, such that the Narrator's entire well-being depends on Stanley's involvement in the narrative. I do think that this is relevant here too, as we see the narrator of this game has the same tendency to narrativize Coda's life, even against Coda's direct wishes and statements, as seen in the Tower gallery, suggesting there's a grand end to this all. The text almost calls upon us to reject this urge, as the later games (with the Interrogator and the Machine appearing to be a direct allegory for the narrator and Coda--importantly, following the Island game, which almost seems a departure, a put-on-air (despite being about put-on-airs).). This is a very Modernist game in that regard, and I appreciate it :) [/spoiler] Additionally, the Source Engine's baked lighting elevates this game so much, in both presenting a period-appropriate feel, and really selling home these vast megastructures. [spoiler] If we read this in the eyes of the narrator, this reflects spaces made by Coda and for Coda to exist and experience in, just as humankind builds our structures for our own uses. It's impossible to truly tell, but I imagine Coda uses it more as a reflection of the world more than a personal metaphor--most notably in the prison level: the cordoning resembles those in CAFOs as it does a human prison (the cattle farms you can see all over Central California, this game's 'real life' setting). [/spoiler] TL;DR: It's a really wonderful and compact experience, in all frames of the narrative.