Walden, a game
- March 18, 2019
- USC Game Innovation Lab
Get on SteamIn "Walden, a game," players step into the shoes of Henry David Thoreau in an immersive simulation of his experiment in simple living. The game encourages players to explore the woods, contemplate transcendental philosophy, and manage their basic needs at Walden Pond. With its soothing soundtrack and beautiful art style, "Walden, a game" invites introspection and promotes mindfulness as players navigate Thoreau's journey towards self-reliance and self-discovery.
Mac OS
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game offers a beautiful and immersive experience, capturing the essence of nature and Thoreau's philosophy.
- It provides a relaxing and meditative gameplay experience, allowing players to explore at their own pace.
- The incorporation of literary elements and voice acting enhances the educational aspect, making it a thoughtful adaptation of Thoreau's work.
- Gameplay mechanics can feel outdated and cumbersome, with repetitive tasks that may lead to frustration.
- The pacing is often too fast, making it difficult to fully enjoy the exploration and reflection aspects of the game.
- Some players may find the lack of traditional game structure and objectives disappointing, as it deviates from typical survival game expectations.
- gameplay20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by simplistic and dated mechanics, reminiscent of 90s games, leading to a repetitive and often unenjoyable experience. While it offers a relaxing journey through nature and literature, many players find the survival elements shallow and the overall gameplay grindy, with limited long-term engagement. Despite its shortcomings, some appreciate the game's earnestness and the thoughtful integration of its themes, though it ultimately struggles to deliver a compelling gaming experience.
“The gameplay is fairly simple; with a left click and movement of the mouse, you will be able to fish, hunt, eat, chop wood, row, mend your clothes, farm, and build/fix your house.”
“It was relaxing, and while there was little hand-holding, once I got used to the mechanics, I found it pleasant, simple, beautiful, and extremely thoughtful.”
“They add a mild 'survival' element to gameplay that is unobtrusive and enjoyable.”
“Ultimately, the UI and gameplay feel like something from the 90s, really archaic and borderline unplayable, certainly unenjoyable.”
“There's clearly a lot of work behind some aspects of this game, like worldbuilding, writing, and even wildlife animations, but the gameplay itself is the most half-assed repetitive survival experience I've ever seen.”
“The mechanics are a bit simplistic and dated.”
- story19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The story in "Walden" is a reflection of Henry David Thoreau's life during his two years living in a cabin by Walden Pond, emphasizing themes of simplicity and self-discovery. While the game compresses key moments and offers various quests related to Thoreau's experiences, it lacks a coherent narrative structure, allowing players to explore at their own pace. Overall, the game successfully immerses players in Thoreau's philosophy, encouraging them to engage with the environment and create their own stories.
“Walden has a great theme, story, and artwork.”
“So far as its story is concerned, I feel the game did a tremendous job of compressing several key moments from Thoreau’s life within the span of the game.”
“Clearly a lot of work has gone into building up the world and the story with objects you can inspect, notes, letters, books, and people you meet.”
“The experience of playing Walden is ludonarratively dissonant from the story and message of Walden; rushed, frustrating, and frantic.”
“Because many of these letters issue quests that will only trigger a reply once completed, it is unlikely most players will experience every piece of narrative content within a single year.”
“His description of the two years (1845–1847) he spent living in a small cottage in the woods near Walden Pond, in order to prove the spiritual benefits of living a simpler lifestyle away from modern society, is more a set of reflections than a coherent story.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the beautiful landscapes and smooth gameplay, while others note issues like poor layering and character movement glitches. Despite these minor flaws, many appreciate the game's aesthetic and thematic alignment, although performance can suffer on lower-end hardware. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received, contributing positively to the immersive experience.
“Anyway, wonderful game: good graphics, amazing sounds; I waste valuable days looking at the pond and listening to the branches moving with the wind or the sound of the rain on the water. Wonderful voices, with texts taken directly from the book.”
“Walden has a great theme, story, and artwork.”
“The graphics are beautiful and the point of view is fun.”
“The graphics are very poor and so is the movement.”
“Getting the game to load was difficult and time-consuming; I assume because of the graphics.”
“I had to play the game with the lowest graphics setting just to load it.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, describing it as both immersive and tedious. While the various chores like gathering resources and maintaining your home contribute to the game's atmosphere, they often feel repetitive and time-consuming, leading to a slower pace that can detract from overall enjoyment. Despite these grindy elements, some reviewers appreciate the game's unique ideas and overall execution, though they note it may not exceed a 7/10 rating due to the grind.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I lived as a hermit throughout the game and I say it was interesting, but the grindy progress was boring yet somewhat unforgettable.”
“But the game quickly descends into a tedious exercise in balancing hunger, firewood gathering, and general maintenance of your shack and your clothing.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its relaxing quality and effective integration with nature sounds, enhancing the overall atmosphere. Users appreciate the sound design, which allows for customization through adjustable sliders, although some suggest lowering the music volume for a better experience. Overall, the sound and music contribute positively to the game's immersive environment.
“Thoreau's thoughts on nature and human life combined with relaxing music and sounds.”
“Wonderful sound design with plenty of nature sounds, perfectly matching the environments, along with a pleasant music track and sliders for user adjustment.”
“Graphics are nice with decent sound and music; I suggest lowering the music but keeping it on, as I normally turn it off.”
“The music in this game feels repetitive and uninspired.”
“The soundtrack doesn't match the game's atmosphere, making it feel disjointed.”
“I found the music to be bland and forgettable, lacking any real impact.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its poignant portrayal of Thoreau's life and philosophy, evoking feelings of nostalgia and melancholy. Players resonate with the fantasy of escaping to nature, experiencing a deep connection to the themes of solitude and self-discovery, which can elicit strong emotional responses. Overall, the game offers a touching and reflective experience that leaves a lasting impact.
“I love the passages from the book; seeing how Walden 'actually' looked made me cry.”
“It made me feel as if I were a ghost, or maybe a human living in a ghost world.”
“It's wholesome and melancholic; it allows you to play with the all-too-common fantasy of 'leaving everything behind and living in the woods,' like a faithless hermit searching for a new path for themselves.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is praised for its beautiful surroundings and overall ambiance, creating a captivating experience, though it is noted to be slow-paced. In contrast, the rapid day/night cycle adds a sense of urgency, reminiscent of faster-paced games like Grand Theft Auto.
“The ambiance is wonderful: beautiful surroundings and a captivating atmosphere, though it is definitely slow-paced.”
“A similar fast-paced atmosphere is created by the frantic day/night cycle, which is faster than in a Grand Theft Auto game.”
“The atmosphere feels rushed and chaotic, with a day/night cycle that is faster than in a Grand Theft Auto game.”
“The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it hard to immerse myself in the world.”
“The overall ambiance is dull and uninspired, failing to evoke any sense of excitement or tension.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While the game offers a notable element of replayability, some users feel that its implementation could have been improved for a more engaging experience.
“The game offers a fantastic level of replayability, with multiple paths and choices that keep each playthrough fresh and exciting.”
“I love how each decision I make leads to different outcomes, making me want to replay the game to explore all the possibilities.”
“The variety of character builds and strategies available ensures that no two playthroughs feel the same, enhancing the overall replay value.”
“Despite introducing a welcome element of replayability, I do wish this had been done a bit differently.”
“The game lacks the depth needed to make me want to replay it after finishing.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in.”
