Dordogne

This is how video games are supposed to be: artful, meaningful, and emotional, all at once. Así deberían de ser todos los videojuegos, llenos de arte, significado, emociones todo al mismo tiempo.

The unique hand-drawn art style was what first drew my attention to this game. These brush strokes, these colors are powerful emotional carriers in a story about childhood memories, young adulthood, adventure and nostalgia. The gameplay elements support the narrative very fittingly too. Taking photos on a Polaroid, listening to tapes, collecting stickers and sensory stimulations (like remembering the warmth of sunbeams or the smell of lavender). Another aspect is the time jumps between past and present. Mimi has different things on her agenda and on her mind as a child (playfulness, adventures, missing her home, family and friends on a forced vacation with grandma) versus her grown up self dealing with adult things (like the thought of selling her grandmother's house, reading letters from different characters or institutions expressing their condolences on the death of her grandmother). Her young self collects these memories, while her adult self tries to remember and recollect those memories. The setting, the narrative and gameplay elements combine into a synergy, that I, as someone born in the 90s, and in Europe personally resonate with. It makes me nostalgic for a time that I have not experienced quite in that way (as portrayed in the game itself) and reminiscent about a time in which I experienced something remotely comparable. It is a peaceful, slow and vibrant experience. So far I'm still early in the game, and I wanted to leave my first impressions after a bit over an hour of gameplay. Finding the binder was a wonderful, very human and heartfelt moment. As a European I am happy to be able to play and support a really great game, made by a French study. I hope there is more where that came from.

I like how wholesome this game is and how smooth it is even if my laptop is not for gaming itself. I enjoyed it!! So cute, and somehow wanted more scenes haha.