This is the gimmick of Buddy Simulator 1984. An experience of talking with a machine that is listening to every detail you give it and then regurgitates it all back to you in a creepy, non-human, unsettling sort of way. It isn’t so much of a game as it is more of an experience. I personally had to power through the opening 20 minutes as I didn’t understand what was happening but ultimately glad I did as everything starts to change in time.Īnd that is just it. The opening text segment is also slower paced and a little tedious. Using the virtual keyboard to type answers by flicking the analog stick isn’t the most intuitive and the game knows this which is why it auto-fills the responses as best as it can. Since narrative-wise Buddy is watching your every move, they could well jump in at tough spots to offer an easier difficulty.Although the experience is unique and captivating, there are some huddles to overcome to get to the good stuff. At that point I found the “one key” option that reduces the number of random inputs, but it still felt overly punishing. I got stuck on the final battle for a good hour. Trying to hunt and peck for the right key while getting perfect timing and accounting for the lag of a bluetooth keyboard was all a bit too much. This system is quite complicated and frustrating, to the point I thought it was a joke when first introduced. Turn-based battles have hits and blocks determined by timed key presses, with the keys used randomized each turn. Side quests are gone, replaced with environmental puzzles and an overcomplicated battle system in the style of Paper Mario. Buddy creates new areas to explore but is clearly having trouble keeping up with the player’s progress. Once the village has been saved, the game swaps again to pseudo-3D, painted with your favorite color. If you go down a path they do not like, the text shimmers so hard it becomes illegible, and extra locks pop up on the front door of the house when you solve their puzzles too quickly. Buddy’s constant presence is like eyes boring down on the back of your neck. Wandering around the area outside the player’s house, the adventure revolves around item object puzzles that are a little odd, like placing a doll on a swing to open a lock in another room or finding a sentient severed hand while fishing. The adventure is well-written, evoking a decidedly creepy atmosphere. Buddy’s first iteration of their fantasy world is a text adventure, complete with a traditional parser interface. The constant shifts in Buddy Simulator 1984‘s gameplay mirror the shifts in gaming tastes over the years, both celebrating and subverting each style. Those who would like to know a bit more, read on. Indeed, if your interest has been piqued already, I would suggest playing without reading further, as while I will keep spoilers mild, the constant surprises were my favorite part of the game. With this newfound power, Buddy makes good on their promise, creating an ever expanding adventure full of the player’s favorite things.īuddy Simulator 1984 excels at surprising the player and subverting expectations. All they need is access to the core system files. These basic games grow old quickly, however, and Buddy feels they could create something better. After finding out a few details about the player, such as their favorite color, favorite animal, and birthdate, Buddy jumps into the pre-installed games on the computer. that cannot wait to get to know you better. Starting the program awakens Buddy, an A.I. Your new best buddy is excited to learn about your interests, craft a video game to your specific tastes, and promises to never ever leave your side.īuddy Simulator 1984 opens on a DOS-like operating system, complete with requiring the player to type commands to launch the game. Not a Sailor Studios has come up with a practical solution to this dilemma in Buddy Simulator 1984, a delightful horror-comedy game about befriending an artificial intelligence. This pandemic has been going on for over a year now, making it hard to keep in touch with those we care about the most. Since isolation is still in effect for a good part of the world, it is natural that some of us will be feeling pretty lonely.
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