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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

86%Game Brain Score
story, music
graphics, gameplay
86% User Score Based on 114 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows

About

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is a short, immersive game based on Ambrose Bierce's Civil War story. It offers a unique, emotionally gripping experience that takes advantage of interactive storytelling. By blurring the line between reader and protagonist, it showcases the power of game design as an art form.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge screenshot
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge screenshot
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge screenshot
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge screenshot
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge screenshot
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge screenshot
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86%
Audience ScoreBased on 114 reviews
story28 positive mentions

  • The game effectively conveys a powerful story through minimalist visuals and gameplay, allowing players to immerse themselves in the narrative.
  • Many players found the emotional impact of the game to be profound, with some stating it brought them to tears and left them reflecting on the experience long after completion.
  • The pixel art and atmospheric music were praised for enhancing the storytelling, making it a unique artistic experience despite its simplicity.
  • The gameplay is extremely limited, primarily consisting of holding the right arrow key, which some players found tedious and lacking in interactivity.
  • The ending was described as abrupt and disappointing, leading to mixed feelings about the overall purpose of the story.
  • Technical issues, such as lag and the game restarting unexpectedly, detracted from the experience for some players, making it frustrating to play.
  • story
    135 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story, based on Ambrose Bierce's classic short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," is presented as a minimalist, wordless experience that effectively conveys the protagonist's emotional journey through pixel art and sound. While some players appreciate its artistic approach and ability to evoke thought, others criticize it for lacking depth and gameplay, viewing it as a superficial adaptation of a powerful narrative. Overall, the game serves as a brief yet impactful exploration of themes from the original story, appealing to those familiar with Bierce's work while leaving some newcomers wanting more context.

    • “Bierce's story was unique for its time because of how the reader is able to directly experience the actions and feelings of the central character, Farquhar, as if it is their own.”
    • “This game variation has taken the Civil War story and kept the main theme yet shown it in an artistic way by using no words, only visuals in the form of pixelated graphics and sound.”
    • “This free game can be completed within 10 minutes and has no achievements or saves yet, for the players who pay attention to the story instead of going through the motions of 'do action until game ends', the 'Occurrence' story will undoubtedly leave you thinking on the experience long after completing it.”
    • “The visuals fully showcase the protagonists' experiences much as Bierce intended in his story, yet the only missing section is the story's explanation behind why the protagonist had ended up at Owl Creek Bridge and who was behind it.”
    • “Although not as effective as some of this developer's other titles, this game is another competent example of minimalist storytelling in video-gamedom.”
    • “An occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is a 2D retro pixel 'walking simulator', thematically and poorly ripping off the classic short story from Ambrose Bierce, and also famous for being the last of many great stories told by the 1960's cult anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone.”
  • graphics
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics feature charming 8-bit visuals and animations that effectively convey the story without words, appealing to fans of minimalist design and retro aesthetics. However, some reviewers criticize the graphics as outdated and lacking depth, describing them as a poor substitute for contemporary visuals. Overall, while the pixel art is appreciated for its storytelling ability, opinions vary on its artistic merit and execution.

    • “That said, the visuals change often, and it conveys its story entirely without words, which I admire.”
    • “Based on the short story of the same name by Ambrose Bierce, this simple side-scroller has charming 8-bit visuals and animations.”
    • “The pixel art does a fine job of telling the story, and the music manages to evoke a sense of urgency while staying true to the overall simple design aesthetic.”
    • “In a disgraceful insult to a great work of literary majesty, the game was made with obsolete retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “The lazy, phoned-in graphics, practically zero gameplay... with the butchered skin of a brilliant, emotional story plastered over it like a psycho cannibal wearing someone else's skin... this is not art.”
    • “Pixel graphics are fine (not great) and the music is also fine (also not great in my opinion).”
  • music
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it excellent and well-suited to the game's atmosphere, while others consider it merely fine and not particularly memorable. Despite its varied reception, many agree that the music effectively enhances the emotional impact and urgency of the experience. Overall, it contributes positively to the game's storytelling, even if it doesn't stand out as exceptional.

    • “However, the music is excellently done.”
    • “Great music and atmosphere, nice ending too.”
    • “Sadly, this short game kinda overstayed its welcome for me, as the pacing is severely truncated in order to extend the meager length of the experience or to accommodate the song that's in it.”
    • “Pixel graphics are fine (not great) and the music is also fine (also not great in my opinion).”
    • “The pixel art does a fine job of telling the story, and the music manages to evoke a sense of urgency while staying true to the overall simple design aesthetic.”
  • gameplay
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is minimal and largely consists of simply holding right until the end, with a difficulty rating of 1/10. Players should not expect traditional gameplay mechanics, as the experience is designed more as a narrative walkthrough with no spoken or written dialogue, focusing instead on visual storytelling. Overall, it is criticized for its lack of engaging gameplay and poor graphics, making it unsuitable for those seeking a more interactive experience.

    • “Besides the title screen, there are no words (spoken or written) within the game allowing the art and mechanics to tell the story.”
    • “You shouldn't go in expecting a ton of gameplay; it's more of a short walkthrough of the story.”
    • “If you want gameplay, don't play this game.”
    • “Gameplay is hold right until the end, and even that is a little janky.”
    • “I would rate its difficulty at 1/10, given the minimal gameplay and clear instructions throughout (simply follow the soldier's story).”
    • “There's no actual gameplay, and that was not the intent... this was designed from scratch to be an affront to all that is good in literature.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by a dark, cynical tone, often culminating in the blunt message that "life sucks." Despite this, players find the humor effective and appreciate its subtlety, noting that it adds depth to the immersive experience. Additionally, references to works like Ambrose Bierce's "Devil's Dictionary" highlight the game's unique approach to humor.

    • “All that buildup to say 'life sucks.' :lunar2019laughingpig: Even with that anomaly, I still found the game immersive and appreciated how it said a lot with a little.”
    • “Anyone who has never heard of Ambrose Bierce should find online his 'Devil's Dictionary.' It is a hilarious and unique collection of his own interpretation of words in dictionary format.”
  • atmosphere
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its effective orchestration of visual experiences and progression triggers, creating an immersive environment. Complemented by great music, the overall ambiance contributes significantly to the game's emotional impact, culminating in a satisfying ending.

    • “It relies on progression triggers to orchestrate and control a visual experience that is effective and atmospheric.”
    • “Great music and atmosphere; nice ending too.”
  • emotional
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as a poignant story that is ultimately undermined by poor graphics and minimal gameplay, leading to a sense of disappointment and heartbreak for players who recognize the potential of the narrative.

    • “It is a bit heartbreaking to see someone strive so hard for naught though.”
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