Deconstruction, subversion, self-awareness, the presence of some kind of “meta-narrative” at play. By now, most people have come face to face with at least one of these archetypes of writing, and more broadly, overall design for a multitude of mediums. A similar ingredient akin to nostalgia, when used in sensible doses, can illicit a feeling of engagement that goes beyond the parameters of what’s displayed before us. But if used too charitably – too indulgently or perhaps through lack of anything else more substantial – and that seemingly-innocent wink-and-a-nudge to your audience can turn into something that’s anything but.
Obtrusive, aggrandising – anything but confident in one’s ability to entertain and impress. Best then to distract or otherwise ridicule, even if it’s one’s self that’s the figurative punching bag, right? It’s hard to see if anything is to come fromMainFrames’ early glimpses of what appears to be parodying its own construction. Two miniature, digitized characters abruptly halting proceedings – panning out as if to suggest one’s progress is being monitored. Or perhaps, more accurately, an elevator pitch to one’s time with the game is being made.“Story? What story? This is a precision-platformer, my guy.”
Super Floppy Disk Boy
MainFramesis far from the first or even earliest example of this kind of somewhat fourth-wall breaking, self-critical style of writing – nor will it be the last. But if one thing has rung true, even with such a brief vertical slice as what’s been offered,MainFramesis at least going at this with a degree of self-control. Its abrupt disruptions offering just enough of an intrigue as to how extensive this exchange between sentient desktop icons actually is.
A welcome accompaniment, given that as far as the basics go in constructing a solid-enough precision-platformer, MainFrames’ early parts are sound and satisfying enough of an introduction. The basic premise withMainFramesbeing that everything pertaining to gameplay and its suggestive narrative takes place quite literally on a Windows OS-style desktop. The backdrop that same, pleasantly-inoffensive category of stock photo landscape. Platforms themselves come in the form of open windows and tabs. Windows whose light/dark mode shifts house their own gameplay mechanics to figure out at certain intervals.
Trust No One; Not Even Yourself
Things eventually unravel, like any memorable and/or annoyingly-addictive platformer in theSuper Meat Boy/Celestemold so often does: one wrong move results in death and a hasty restart. Later sequences having you juggle one’s aerial movement, with the movement of on-screen windows themselves. As is the case with any desktop, your ability to move windows about a space as much how your floppy disk-looking main protag moves becomes the key to success.
Because of this, I’m immediately reminded of a game like 2020’sThe Pedestrian, in all the right ways. MainFrames, much like developer Skookum Arts’ acclaimed puzzle-platformer of four years prior, doesn’t just settle with its chosen art-style and aesthetic for mere appearances’ sake. But better still, it utilizes it to further flesh out its mechanics. One instance requiring a frantic series of wall-jumps, all while remembering which “tab” to select and window to shift between its two states. Find one’s muscle memory (or just memory in general) work against you and it’s but one more quick death/restart to add to the pile.
Review: The Pedestrian
The Pedestrian taps terrifically into the many joys, frustrations and epiphanies that this genre of video game is so good at carving out.
MainFrames…doesn’t just settle with its chosen art-style and aesthetic for mere appearances’ sake. But better still, utilizes it to further flesh out its mechanics.
More Than Meets The Eye
Optional detours, having you guide NPCs to a desired spot on the screen, further flesh out how these tricky combinations of physical and mental agility can play out. And an unfortunate bug with one character clipping through the goal aside, the way NPCs act/behave differently relative to one’s interactions does suggest thatMainFramesis leaning more in that “rewiring” direction. Up may in fact be down in this case; just because you don’t move your character left and right doesn’t necessarily mean the accompanying NPC will stay still. Things may look simple, but can you do the necessary mental gymnastics to realize, and subsequently master, how that will translate on-screen?
Of course, whatMainFramesmay or may not do with its writing is where developer skills and craft will likely come into full focus. Its self-aware attitude on knowingly being a game – a game whose debated merits are being contested by other NPCs and characters on-screen – only opening it up to greater scrutiny. The consolation is that nothing aboutMainFrames’brief offering thus far suggests the team is using this style of writing as some get-out clause in crafting an efficient platformer.
There’s plenty of signs already that the game’s “taking place entirely in the confines of a desktop screen” isn’t just for show. Mechanically speaking, they’ve conjured some clever, and at its best, fiendishly-anxious ideas to keep players feeling challenged. Novelty and humor don’t always guarantee success, butMainFrames’ early parts suggests that alongside the tempting platforming, Assoupi are at least treating this particular niche of the genre with the right dose of humor and self-awareness.
