Edward Love

The great thing about Façade is that it provokes thought. Far too often games prove to be mind-numbing affairs, devoid of any intellectual connotations. Façade paves the way for pastures new and any self-proclaimed games connoisseur should not rest until he has sampled this interactive, fictional, adventure, chat game.

Calling Façade a game is simply not doing it justice. This is an interactive story. The idea is thus: you – the player – are invited to an evening dinner with old friends (namely, Trip and Grace). The couple falls into an argument. How will you fare during the antagonism? It’s as simple as that. You interact with your initially hospitable guests by typing in a sentence. It’s reminiscent of the early Sierra adventure games, although objects can be picked up and used with a mouse cursor. Yet, Façade is not about picking up a sherry glass and combining it with a piece of rope to create a lethal weapon. Instead, the game’s focal point lies in the way the player reacts to the situation before them, and what the player decides to type in.

We’ll refrain from clichés (such as, “on paper") since Façade deserves as such: So…on blotting paper, this premise looks a fantastic and intriguing one, but Façade bumbles and stumbles at all the wrong places. It’s close but no cigar(ette) and the maddeningly inadequate execution really hampers a potentially amazing piece of artwork.

In a perfect world, Façade would have the ability to evoke memories from scenes you had with married couples –friends of yours – in yester years. You’d be able to find the eerie remnants of that shattered memory in the game. Just how fascinating would that be? Façade does at least encourage you to explore and experiment, but the results can be dissatisfactory.

Façade’s biggest affliction is the fact that – for the most part – it plays itself and the player will doubtlessly get the feeling throughout that he’s simply window dressing and has little impact on proceedings. Sure, it’s possible to comment on the clothes the couple are wearing and flirt with Grace – to such an extent that you’re kicked out – but the curtain of realism is yanked away when both Trip and Grace reply completely and wholly incorrectly, inappropriately and unconvincingly. Moreover, it’s important that you do something at precisely the right time or once again, the game stumbles and loses the sense of realism.

For example, if you were to say: “great glasses," Grace might reply: “oh, um, we never realized." Is this really how your host is likely to reply to a compliment about their chosen acquirements? The point is: the illusion of realism – something that Façade relies heavily on – is easily evaporated and it suffers as a result.

On the other hand, there’s little reason not to sample Façade since it is a free download – albeit a large one at over 700 MB. The game is exciting simply because it is so new and different. The first time you choose a name from a well-supplied list and hear Trip and Grace speaking your name during the game is a grin-inducing moment. It might be terrible to look at; an instant assault on your eyes, but it could be argued that the sloppy-visuals have been purposely implemented. At any rate, with a team of just two, you can hardly blame the budding developers for concentrating on matters removed from the graphics.

Games like Façade can truly work if PC owners spread the word. We’d love to see more games like this: tired of yet-another-Quake-sequel and interested in the most diversified experience for many-a-year? Façade is rapping at your door and won’t stop the knocking until you install it. The game is keen to impress; so accommodate it on your harddrive. Do so. Now.