In The Game That Got Away, I look back at games I began but will likely never finish, and why they slipped away.
When I started this blog, I promised myself (and my readers) that I would only post reviews of games I had actually finished. The downside of that promise is that many of the games I start, like Blue Prince, will never get a score. Sometimes that is because of the game’s quality. In this particular case, it is because of mine.
And in case it has been keeping you up at night, wondering forever what score Born for Media might have given it, let me put you out of your misery. I would have rated Dogubomb’s puzzle/adventure/roguelike a solid 9/10.
I Was Addicted, but Even I Have My Limits
Blue Prince launched on April 10, and that was the same day I took my first steps with protagonist Simon P. Jones. It now seems that poor guy will never solve the mystery of the 45-room manor (plus one secret 46th). Believe me, dear readers, I gave it everything I had.
The short version is this: the layout of the manor changes every single day. Your goal is to find a path to the 46th room. Each time you open a door, you choose from three blueprints that determine which room comes next. They need to fit together properly, because before you know it you are stuck. And not to cover up my own shortcomings here, but because the room selection is random there is a big element of luck involved too.
Now we are almost six months on, and Simon is still trapped in that damned manor. As if to mock you, the game politely reminds you at the end of each day just how many in-game days you have behind you. I made it to day 65. For comparison, most players see the credits roll in about 30.
Why I Finally Put Down the Hammer
Every day I sat ready with pen and paper, fully motivated to unravel the many secrets hidden in the manor. I celebrated every bit of progress, no matter how small. And one of the things I truly appreciate about this game is that it often gave me that sense of progress.
One of my most memorable gaming moments this year came when, after far too many days, I finally realized that something in my environment was actually serving as a puzzle. When that penny dropped and I began to notice how the pieces connected, it was a genuine “ahhh, so THAT’S how it works” moment.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. That particular puzzle didn’t end up taking me very far. I did make it to room 46, which (at least in my head) felt like the real goal. But to my dismay, the game didn’t end there, even though I felt I had more than earned the credits by that point. I would have loved to see the names of the people who kept me busy with brain-teasers for over 60 in-game days, but it wasn’t meant to be.
For a moment I thought this was one of those decisive milestones, that reaching room 46 would unlock it permanently so I could continue where I had left off. When it turned out that wasn’t the case, I realized I would need the same streak of luck just to reach room 46 again. And even then, I’d still have to push through another full run. That was enough for me. That was the line.
Simon P. Jones can keep his inheritance. As far as I’m concerned, he can stew in that manor forever. The house beat me.
