Short Game, Large Impact
In the 2010’s, video games have become massive entities that require a lot of time to make and as much time to play. The 2020’s don’t appear to change this pattern, with Goliath-like projects like Final Fantasy VII Remake being broken up into multiple games, let alone multiple disks.
Do we really need this much from our games? Does the size of a game truly measure its impact? Temmie Chang of Undertale fame would beg to differ.
Chang and her small team, including Undertale developer Toby Fox (contributing to this project as a composer) created Escaped Chasm, a 20-minute game about a girl who lives alone. The game is beautiful but simple. It is striking. I keep asking myself, how can something so short draw me in so quickly?
Before you keep reading, a disclaimer: because this is such a short game, it is impossible not to spoil the game’s plot. If you want to play it yourself before reading further, you can do so here.
It is hard not to connect to a character with such raw, open emotions.
The Lonely Girl reminds me a lot of myself. I have never had severe separation or depression, but I have felt isolated in what were once comfortable settings. I almost immediately empathized with the Lonely Girl, resonating with how she went through the motions of her day and how there were only a few things that she found joy in. It broke my heart to watch those few things give out or deteriorate, as it showed the Lonely Girl falling deeper into her own darkness.
Escaped Chasm is unnerving. After creepy radio signals, a television program broadcasting a single eye, and the brief appearance of a mysterious man, I was nervous to proceed or investigate objects in the Girl’s home. That feeling is a testament to how good this game is; I became so drawn in that I starting feeling the same nervousness the Lonely Girl felt with her ever-changing surroundings and uncertain future.
I’m hooked. I want to play Chang’s entire game (all I can get now are the multiple endings to this game). I want the Lonely Girl to get her memories back. I want her to find her parents. I want to see more of Yoki and her handsome (but probably evil) counterpart. Who are they? Where are they? What other amazing characters will we meet, and what other intriguing places will we go in the full-length sequel?
For the game’s length and the size of the map, there was a lot packed in. Tons of little details show that Chang’s next game will be thorough and meticulously crafted. I am happy to wait as long as she needs, but I want to play her next game badly.
Chang’s Escaped Chasm is filled with beautifully drawn cutscenes that emphasize the overall style: simple but captivating.
How much I love and want more of this game aside, Escaped Chasm sets an interesting precedent for future games: a game doesn’t have to be long, big, difficult, complex, or cost a lot to make to be brilliant. It can be under an hour in length, be a handful of rooms in size, and star only two unnamed characters. If anyone knows of any other super short games, let me know. Short games, like short film, could be an amazing sub-genre of an already great medium. I hope this next decade brings plenty more of them.
Escaped Chasm is a narrative game developed by Temmie Chang and her small team, including Undertale developer Toby Fox. Created in RPGmaker, the game follows a lonely girl with a connection to another world that she sees in her dreams. Escaped Chasm available now via download on itch.io, where you can name your own price.