The Room Game Narrative

  The Room is a puzzle video game that was released in 2012. Developed by Fireproof Games, this first person game the player is presented with a series of unusual boxes that have a number of mechanisms on them. The objective is to unlock the boxes to reveal another box within it until the last box. The Room is creepy and unique because of the plot and the setting within the unusual game.

  Images from http://ipad.appstorm.net/reviews/games/the-room-an-intriguing-mystery/
   The plot is very minimal in The Room. When the game is first started, you are presented with your first box and a note that promises you will find all the answer you seek inside. The letters are left by an unnamed author whom had previously solved the box. “The letter sends you on your way by giving you an ‘eyepiece’ and a warning that this won’t be easy” (Rodriguez). The more boxes you solve, then more letters you receive from the author. In each new letter, you learn more about the material called “null,” that is found in the boxes through the eyepiece, and slowly learn that the unnamed author is slowly drifting into madness. Once you have completed the first four chapters, you are taken to the box in the epilogue through a unknown portal with another note from the author saying, “I pray you never came. I pray you are just another of my dreams” and must unlock the given box. The end if the game is questionable because you’re unsure of what its means. Although you are left in uncertainty, the end of The Room implies a sequel because after you have unlocked the last box, the eyepiece is shattered and through the broken glass you can see an arch. The screen goes blank and you are presented with a “mini movie” of a person revealing the faces of tarot cards that say, “Time. Cosmos. Null. Voyage. Sanctuary.” There is not much of a story within this game and I expected more when I decided to start playing.
    The Room‘s setting is uncomfortably creepy and simple. In the first chapter, the room is dark with an vintage box on the wood floor. The room seems to be in an attic because of the one window you see in the first two chapters.“The first thing you’ll notice is that ambience mentioned earlier: The game’s graphics are excellently drawn; the faux three-dimensional room—and the safe it contains—look great, and are fun to explore. And the soundtrack and sound effects set a mood not quite of fear” (Friedman). The room in the third chapter has had all light sources removed while solving the box. Solving the third box will unlock lights that will appear to be constellations upon the walls of the room when the fourth box is presented. The sounds you hear are slightly unenjoyable because it consists of whispers, tables creaking, and sounds that are unknown to my knowledge. The whole setting makes The Room spine-tingling but lacks suspense, which is expected when you download a mystery game.

Image from http://www.macworld.com/article/2014016/review-the-room-is-an-ios-game-so-good-its-scary.html

 The Room’s plot and setting could be more thought out and connect better in my opinion. If there was more background story on the unnamed author, the “null” element and the setting was more mysterious, the game would be more interesting to players. The game was somewhat fun but could have been more developed. Bibliography Friedman, Lex. "Review: The Room Is an IOS Game so Good, It's Scary." Macworld. Web. 5 Oct. 2015. Rodriguez, Jorge. "IPad.AppStorm." IPadAppStorm RSS. Web. 5 Oct. 2015.