Cart Life is a game about survival. It can be horror, strategy, or
adventure, depending on how you play it. It introduces you to three people converged
on a dark intersection in life with no choice but to move forward with their
small business ventures using the
limited resources and will that remains in them. It happens.
One guy runs a newspaper stand, a lady starts up a coffee business,
and another guy sells bagels.
They all share a general pool of needs, like the need to eat,
the need to sleep, the need to make money. But below that layer they have their
individual crosses to carry. The newspaper guy needs to smoke, the bagel guy
needs caffeine, the coffee lady needs to spend time with her daughter. All these needs deplete over time, and must constantly be attended to if you are going to be worth any kind of shit at work.Wants
don’t appear in this game. No time for them.
The world clock doesn't stop to let you plan, or save, or reflect. If you make a mistake in the
game, well, just try to make better choices next time, if there is a next time.
The choices begin at tough and end at impossible. I had
to pawn everything I own in this world to pay rent, I bought cigarettes instead
of cat food, I lost track of time at work and forgot to pick up my kid from
school, now I may lose custody, that kind of stuff.
There is no win state for this game. There may be some
milestones, some pyrrhic victories, but that is about as good as it gets in
Cart Life. I understand the above words in no way make this game sound like
something anybody would want to play, but it is, and you should. Maybe you don’t
have a choice. You might be playing it right now.
I checked out a lot of the recent AAA offerings presented
over the last few days. They aiiight. Heroes and heroines caught in drama
tornadoes, bootstrapping themselves, answering the call to adventure, getting
stronger and smarter after every confrontation, slaying the dragon, empowering
ending leaving room for a sequel.
But Cart Life is like that one game where the only enemies
are bosses, omnipresent, gigantic, and menacing. They are there outside the
start zone, on the bus, at your job, when you sleep. No way to beat them, just
manage them.
Cart Life has been out for a few years now, but people seem
to find it on their own time. It’s a nominee for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize
at GDC this year, competing against the best lineup of indie games I have ever
seen.
I don’t want it to win. Nothing personal, I just believe
that art like this shouldn’t “win” anything, it’s disrespectful. Besides, this is a “game,” in the way a
comedian on the ledge of his own humanity tells a “joke.” People only laugh
because they are uncomfortable, and they only anoint because it seems like the proper response when someone takes an unflattering picture of you.
Take time out of your busy day to buy Richard Hofmeier
a drink if you run into him at the event, and have a chat instead.
Anyway, on to the news…
Oh Anita, they are never going to leave you alone, I am
guessing that is the point. Is this Davida v. Goliath? Trolling the trollers?
Or standing up for something you believe in past the point of no return? I've seen enough Cole Trains and dudes with birds in their afro’s to get where you
are coming from, and heard enough “Why are you making this an [X], thing?” To understand
why the battle is popping off and why you feel the need to stand your ground.
But, two things, you are acting kind of feminine douchey,
sorry sis, but… yeah. Also, facts, bring them. There are many, many, of them
laying around for you to throw. Not some twenty year old Japanese import where
the protagonist had bigger titties than need be, facts. I got your back though,
it’s all goodie.
Anybody surprised that SimCity 4 could be played offline? No?
Ok. Can we just let this go now? Hope you are enjoying all this free pub,
Maxis.
An Nvidia boss recently let loose the well-guarded secret
that consoles run on outdated shit for a long time. Haters, man. Everybody
knows PS4 will release as a low end PC, and will only get more horrible as the
years go on. Please PC gods, do not pull this PC’s do what Nintendon’t,
bullshit. You are better than that.
I hope information is Eep-Opp-Ork-Ah Ah. That means I love
you. The Jetsons, bitch. Also, Jerbz.
