Made in just 48 hours for Ludum Dare's Minimalism competition, StormAlligator's This is Not a Minimalist Game is a retro-sy adventure that looks ordinary until a curse downgrades your high-tech world into something much simpler. And all you wanted to do was chop off his head to complete your quest... how rude! Use the [arrow] keys to move and jump, [X] and [C] to select dialogue options, and the number keys to select items or open your map. You'll need to think outside the box in order to restore the world... which is going to be tricky since boxes are all you get. To begin with, that is.
Though ultimately a short game, which is to be expected given its teeny-weeny development window, This is Not a Minimalist Game is fun and satisfying in the same sort of vein as Evoland... albeit with even less bells and whistles. It might even be a bit too simple for some players since the story is somewhat underdeveloped to go with the gameplay, though the ending has a cute twist that feels like a punchline. It may approach the competition's theme from a different angle, but This is Not a Minimalist Game has a neat idea that begs for more fleshing out in the future... although that would probably break our poor protagonist's mind even further.
Walkthrough Guide
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"This is not a minimalist game" Walkthrough:
Notes:
In a few of the puzzles in "This is not a minimalist game", you sort of have to guess what the developers were thinking. I've tried to make the hints as non-spoilery as possible, but even getting a nudge in the right direction might make finding the solution a little less satisfying. If you'd really like to avoid spoilers, read the tips first.
There's one area of the game that players who have difficulty distinguishing colors might have trouble with. I'm not sure if I needed to, but I provided a color note.
Tips:
Make sure to complete all possible dialogue with everyone. Sometimes, the game doesn't know an event is over if there's still dialogue left to go through.
Pick up every item you can. There's no penalty for carrying anything around, and it might come in handy later. Items can be collected with X, and used with the number keys.
If you're stuck, take a look at your items. Some of the puzzles involve using the items in some way. If you don't think you have what you need, think about items you've seen before. Note that in most cases, you'll be able to backtrack and collect those items again.
Walkthrough, with hints:
Follow the tunnel down and to the right. Taking the upper path leads you to a red evil wizard; taking the lower path leads to a purple evil wizard. Both have a quest to offer-- bring them 100 evil wizard heads.
Hint:
How many evil wizard heads do you already have?
You can't do the quest for both evil wizards...
...so there's one extra evil wizard hanging around.
Solution:
Take the quest with one evil wizard, then go kill the other one. It doesn't matter which one, but it's a little more convenient to take the quest with the red evil wizard and kill the purple one.
After, go through the scene until you arrive at the new area.
You'll find yourself in a new area. To the right is a rectangle who has a quest to offer-- bring him 5 squares. There doesn't appear to be a way out.
Hint:
What happens when you take the quest?
Can you get an item from the rectangle?
Can you use this item to leave?
Solution:
Take the quest with the rectangle. Talk to it again, and keep asking questions until you get a map. Use the map (by pressing [1]), then go to the quarry (by pressing [2]).
Time to get working on that quest! The quarry is full of squares, some of them red. Visit the city if you'd like, but it's not necessary as of yet. Once you have five squares, return to the rectangle in area 1 and follow his directions.
Hint:
Sometimes the game won't let you finish the quest. Are all of your squares the same? Think about bringing back some squares with different properties.
What's one common way to destroy something in a minimalist game? Think about how these games often ask you to fight.
Solution:
Collect 5 squares, at least one of them red. After you bring them back and the rectangle becomes distressed, jump on the red squares.
Go to the city ([3] on the map), and talk to the one standing rectangle.
Go to see the signs ([4] on the map). The signs can be taken and picked up for later use.
Hint:
You need to use items in order to make the next change to the world.
Specifically, you need to use one item on another item.
Think about what might have an interesting reaction with the signs you just collected.
Solution:
Return to the quarry ([2] on the map). Find a red square, and use a "This is not a square" sign while standing directly in front of it.
Return to the city, and talk to the rectangle.
Let's investigate the "strange stuff" ([5] on the map). You'll find an area full of numbers.
Hint:
You can't pick up the numbers, but can you interact with them in some other way?
Have you tried doing this to all of the numbers?
Solution:
Look for the "3" (from the start: go right, take the bottom fork, and follow the bottom left path.) Jump on it.
Return to the city, and report your findings to the rectangle.
Something has changed in the world.
Hint:
Check everywhere you've visited before.
Especially the quarry.
Anything you can do to the new objects?
Solution:
There are some new circles in the quarry, several yellow and several blue. Jump on one yellow circle and one blue circle.
Color Note:
The rightmost circle in the quarry is yellow, as are the two leftmost circles. The others are blue.
Return to the city, and check in with the rectangle again.
Something else has changed in the world.
Hint:
Check everywhere you've visited before.
Especially the first area.
Have you looked at all the new objects?
Solution:
There's now some fruit in the first area. Toward the right, one of the fruits looks different. Pick it up.
Return to the city, and talk to your rectangle friend once more.
Go to the mirror ([6] on the map). Go right until you can see yourself. Even though the rest of the world has changed, your character hasn't.
Hint:
How did you change the rest of the world?
Is there a way for you to do the same things, only to yourself?
Perhaps using items?
Solution:
Get a red square, a yellow circle, a blue circle, and a detailed fruit. You can find the first three at the quarry ([2] on the map) and the last at the first area ([1] on the map), if you don't still yours from the last step. Stand as close to the mirror as you can, and drop these items until you're back to normal and the world shifts again.
You're now back where you started. Follow the tunnel down and to the right. Take the lower path and follow the tunnel until you see another person. Talk to her, and watch the scene. She'll drop an object.
Hint:
Your character has some very strong feelings on this object. Help him express those very strong feelings.
Solution:
Jump on the object.
Congratulations, you've finished "This is not a minimalist game". Enjoy the ending!
Posted by: Alice
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April 30, 2013 12:10 PM