The Great Perhaps

About

"The Great Perhaps" is a single-player platformer game with an intriguing story. Players control an astronaut who returns to a post-apocalyptic Earth and discovers a lantern that allows time travel to the past. The game involves constant time traveling between the desolate present and the lively past, with the goal of discovering the cause of the disaster and saving the planet.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 60 reviews

story13 positive mentions

character development3 negative mentions

The novel offers a multi-layered, thought-provoking, and humorous exploration of a dysfunctional family, with each character's perspective adding depth to the narrative.
Joe Meno's writing style is engaging and fluid, making the book an enjoyable read that captures the complexities of modern family life.
The characters, while quirky and flawed, are relatable and evoke sympathy, allowing readers to connect with their struggles and growth throughout the story.

The book's structure, alternating between multiple perspectives, can feel disjointed and may detract from the overall flow of the narrative.
Some readers may find the characters unlikable or overly neurotic, leading to frustration rather than empathy for their situations.
The heavy use of metaphors and symbolism, while intended to add depth, can come across as pretentious or confusing, making it difficult for some readers to fully engage with the story.

story
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
82%
3%
The story of "The Great Perhaps" revolves around the dysfunctional Casper family, told through the perspectives of five distinct characters, each grappling with their own eccentricities and existential dilemmas. While the narrative is layered and often humorous, it struggles with coherence due to its impressionistic style and occasional distractions from the main plot, leading to mixed feelings about its complexity and engagement. Despite its flaws, the novel offers a thought-provoking exploration of family dynamics and individual struggles, resonating with readers through its relatable themes and unique storytelling approach.
- “A great multi-layered, thought-provoking, and funny story about one highly dysfunctional family.”
- “The story is told from the multiple perspectives of five members of the same family, the Caspers: father Jonathan, a kind of nutty professor who is completely absorbed by his study of an ancient, but still alive, squid; his wife Madeline, an academic as well, who is studying aggression in pigeons and is deeply resentful of her husband's neglect at home; oldest daughter Amelia, a high school junior and wannabe Marxist, who writes long creeds against capitalism in her school paper; Thisbe, a high school freshman, who is constantly begging God to offer some evidence of his existence, while also hating herself for her attraction to another girl in her class; and grandfather Henry, who has perhaps the most moving tale of all.”
- “The story rotates between the different family members, and when all is said and done, they make up the more common-than-you-think all-American family.”
- “As I try to outline all the threads at work in this story, I can understand why it might seem impossible that any author could weave all these multiple storylines and ideas into one compelling, readable novel.”
- “While reading these, I kept thinking, what happened to the story, anyway?”
- “The giant squid angle seemed almost totally disconnected from the rest of the story.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the novel is characterized as darkly funny and multi-layered, blending realism with poignant moments that evoke both laughter and reflection. While some readers find the humor to be peculiar rather than traditional, it effectively enhances the exploration of the dysfunctional family dynamics and deeper themes. Overall, the writing is praised for its insightful and captivating blend of humor and sadness.
- “A great multi-layered, thought-provoking and funny story about one highly dysfunctional family.”
- “Meno offers an insightful and humorous portrait of one highly dysfunctional family, while also exploring some fascinating big ideas.”
- “This book made me laugh out loud but is also extremely poignant at times.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is a central focus of the novel, with users noting a desire for depth and complexity in the characters. While one reviewer expresses concern about potential predictability in the author's style, another praises the gradual and thorough development that culminates in a well-rounded portrayal by the end.
- “Since the novel is focused on character development, one would expect the characters to have some semblance of depth to them.”
- “I am interested in reading other books by this author as well, but am nervous of finding the patterns of overly obvious character development in each one.”
- “Meno has a keen sense of character development, building more and more into each one so by the end, we're left with a complete and whole vision.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted through the poignant portrayal of a religious daughter grappling with her family's impending emotional breakdown, reminiscent of "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret." Additionally, the touching depiction of the grandfather adds depth, making the narrative both beautiful and relatable with its blend of sentimentality and sharp wit.
- “The portrayal of the grandfather is also very touching.”
- “It's beautiful, sentimental, witty, sharp, real, and so touching.”
- “The religious daughter, who has a 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret' quality about her, is probably the least confusing, turning to a god she is not sure she believes in because she knows her family is starting to travel the road of emotional breakdown.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is perceived as disjointed and tedious, with a gimmicky presentation that detracts from the overall experience, making it not recommended for most players.
- “Disjointed, tedious, and gimmicky - not recommended.”
- “Some people might enjoy this game, but I found it disjointed, tedious, and with a writing style that I can only describe as gimmicky.”
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics feature depictions of sexual acts, though the overall focus of the game is not on sexual content.