SporkTank gives us, literally, a very short adventure. In Batography, in the role of an adorable bat, we will have to take a picture of the full moon.
Finding myself faced with a title like Batography wasn’t easy as far as I’m concerned. After thinking a lot about it, I decided to implement a non-review.
Basically an open letter to the developer and potential players of this very short title.
I did not consider it appropriate to write a review as the lack of development of the mechanics and its brevity would have severely penalized it.
In fact, Batography does not want to be a video game but a relaxing experience for the player, and in this it succeeds.
It would not (however) stand comparison with other more structured and free titles.
So I will tell you about the experience that Batography wants to represent.
First Look at the Title
The title presents itself as a very short relaxing experience where through interesting but poorly developed mechanics, we will achieve our goal.
At first I was captured by its cute aesthetics and truly successful character design.
When we move around the environment, initially, we can only go left and right, talk to the NPCs and use our tool: the camera.
Through the camera we can solve the problems of the city’s inhabitants. With each problem solved we will obtain advantages in exploration and we will obtain a bit of verticality.
This allows us to climb, glide, exploit air currents to advance in the adventure. There are also Mooncakes: collectibles scattered around the map.
I would like to say more but unfortunately everything ends here.
My Two Cents
I have to admit that when I saw the end of the game after about 11 minutes I was really stunned.
The gameplay mechanics are in their infancy but they are intelligent. I’ve often wondered what the developer could have done with more time and more budget.
I like to think of Batography as one of the examples of the indie scene where freedom, authorial vision, courage and sometimes recklessness are essential characteristics for any creation.
This experience (I repeat, free) could be a first step for a Kickstarter or crowdfunding. A puzzle platformer with the features seen in Batography would already be a product worth trying. Imagine if the game lasted at least 2 hours, with more environments and mechanics that became more complex, I would play it with my eyes closed.
For now all that remains is to try what we have available and enjoy a pleasant experience, however brief.
Obviously mine are just ideas, but “a man can dream though, a man can dream”.
