What's going on everyone?
Every so often there is an indie game that comes out and completely knocks me on my ass. In 2013, it was Gone Home, 2017 had What Remains of Edith Finch , and in 2018 it was Celeste. Now my indie game of the year in 2021 is Before Your Eyes. There is nothing out there quite like this game. It is a beautiful short story about a lost soul recounting his life before he officially moves on to the afterlife. It is about wanting to hold on to everything we hold dear but knowing that nothing lasts forever. It is a narrative about how we often create fictional versions of ourselves for others because we are not confident in who we are. It is also a story about blinking. Yes, really. You can find the lesson plan for Before Your Eyes here.
There is not much gameplay in Before Your Eyes. The game uses a web camera to track your eyes and the story progresses whenever you blink. A blink might set the narrative forward a couple of seconds, minutes, hours, weeks, and even years. An aspect of the game that forces the player to continue forward even when they might not want to themselves. It is a reminder that we cannot stay in our memories forever. Life moves on and there is nothing you can do to stop its progress. Blinking might seem like a gimmick, but the manner in which it is used as a gameplay mechanic is intricately tied to the narrative. Every time you are forced to blink is intentional and furthers the story.
When I was first reading about the game, I couldn't really wrap my mind around the idea of blinking as a mechanic. The only other game I have ever played about blinking is the occasional staring contest with my friends. At first I figured it would be some kind of mini-game or arcade style that tests your ability to keep your eyes open. All of my assumptions were thrown out the window the second I started up the game. This isn't just a mini-game, but an emotional short story. A game in which you are playing the lead role in a movie. How you interact with this story utilizing your eyes is very internationally crafted. Blink too quickly and the scene might be cut short. Forcing yourself to keep your eyes open might extend one scene but then make it difficult to withstand the next long stretch of time. I've never really had to keep track of my own blinking for such an extended period of time before. No one thinks about blinking. Being forced to pay attention to this otherwise innate action was a cool experience. Luckily the blinking mechanic of jumping forward is not present at all times during the game. It is only when a metronome symbol appears at the bottom of the screen that you need to keep your eyes open.
This game made me think about "Author's Purpose," a phrase that most students learn in their English Language Arts classes. An author's purpose is the reason for or the intent behind their writing. The purpose may be to amuse, persuade, or inform the reader. Although games are often crafted by multiple people, this can also be applicable to video games. What sets video games apart from the typical stories students might find in their in curriculum is that the creator's purpose is two-fold: The purpose can apply to the story at face value, but it can also apply to the gameplay. With Before Your Eyes students can analyze the author's intent with the story while also analyzing the intent behind the blinking mechanic. Even better, they can discuss the ludonarrative of the game. Ludonarrative refers to the intersection in a video game of play elements and narrative elements. A good game strives for gameplay and narrative to be perfectly intertwined. Gameplay is meant to enhance the story. I would argue that the blinking mechanic in Before Your Eyes takes a good story and made it great and I am fascinated to see what a class of students might think.
I haven't even gotten to the story yet. I'll be honest; it's really sad. It begins with a ferryman picking up a lost soul to deliver to the afterlife. Before he can do this, the ferryman must first learn about who this person was during their life. It starts in childhood and slowly moves into adulthood. Over the course of 13 chapters - about one and half hours of playtime - we learn about the life of Benjamin Brynn, a gifted musician and artist. You might learn a lot, or not much at all. Remember that this story is connected to your blinking. Blink too much and you might miss out on some valuable information. I am not going to say much more than this. I don't want to spoil this game more than I already have. It is a must play. Even if you only ever play it once, I think this is a game most people should experience. The game does, however, deal with some very emotionally taxing elements and you will probably need to provide a content warning to your students beforehand.
Video games are unique in that it allows the reader to step into the shoes of a character. They allow us to role play the story instead of just reading a story about someone else. Before Your Eyes brings a literal physical connection to the story. You will need to blink. Your eyes will strain, often manipulating an emotional response out of you. It is a type of storytelling very rarely found anywhere. Outside of virtual reality, I can't think of many video games that actually have a physical component to them. This lesson will get students thinking about the decisions that authors and game developers make when crafting their games.
Thanks for reading,
Zack
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