Synopsis: Grayout is a fairly unique game. Taking place in a medical dystopic future, the player is navigating language; they are plagued with aphasia and trying to put the right words together in order to solve a larger mystery of who they are and how they got there.
Who Should Play: Grayout is a great game for people who like linguistic puzzlers, but are bored of Words with Friends and seeking more developed narratives. It’s a fairly unique game, despite its simplicity.
Made by: Neven Mrgan
Available on: iOS
Price: $2.99
Play time: 1-2 hours
Questions:
- When did you stop trusting those around you in the game? Was it immediate or gradual? What clued you in to the fact that you were not in the right place?
- Words, in this game, have meaning. How does Grayout use linguistic puzzles differently than other kinds of word games (digital and non-digital)?
- When you were unable to figure out a puzzle, did you share the protagonist’s frustration? Did it make you think differently about aphasia and how medical conditions like that must feel?
- In what ways did the game force you to think differently about language and our patterns of speaking?
- The designer did a lot of work making the screen colors match the emotional experiences that they player should be having at various points of reveal. How did the simple, word based graphics and use of color effect the game’s emotional resonance?
- Grayout is clever in how it makes words active and, in some ways, living experiences. In what ways did playing this game make you think differently about the precisions (and imprecisions) of words in everyday life?
- Were words and colors satisfying enough to get a visual imaginary from this game? Did you find yourself wanting graphics, or was the graphic design enough to keep you engaged?
General Gaming Circle Questions:
- What did and didn’t you like about the game?
- How much time did you spend playing? Did you play all at once or break up your time?
- Did you play during other activities, or dedicate time solely to playing?
- Did the game feel like a waste of time? A good use of time? Explain.
Links & Walkthroughs:
• Official Website
• Touch Arcade (Review)
• Pocket Gamer (Walkthrough)
Play like a Feminist. 