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The Killer

A small notgame inspired by the thousands of senseless killings committed in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge regime. Requires no gaming skills whatsoever. Takes about three minutes to play through, though the length varies, and the experience is never quite the same for any two people.

Wow

What an emotionally powerful representation of those events…


In Regard to The Killer

it’s an ambitious project for sure, though I think in its simplicity it lacks something. Whilst I understand that a simple message is an effective one for many, treating such a well known issue with such a light coat of paint is not helpful. You see, the err here may be mine, in imagining that the issues cambodia faces due to years of civil war have been well covered by the media, but given that I am not even an adult, and fully aware of the horrible results of Pol Pot’s regime I can’t help but consider it general knowledge.

The use of song here is intriguing, though I believe not entirely successful. It just seems detatched from the work at hand. I know it sounds nit-picky, and it is, I acknowledge that, but a soundtrack built along with the visuals may have resulted in a better overall product. I don’t know the degree of effort which goes into these creations, so I don’t know how much extra time it would take to throw in three or four piano loops that built up to a climax but it might be something to try for next time.

In conclusion, it’s not the idea of game as a communication tool that I find lacking, it’s this particular piece itself, being so shallow in its presentation before book-smacking you with reality. It works when you hit the mines, that sudden juxtaposition, but then that’s a problem in itself, as it takes away from the genocide itself and draws the discussion away from the social ruination caused by years of dictatorship.

Anyway, certainly intruiging, something I will definitely share to garner others’ opinions.


Mountains

The message when you release space bar gets lost behind the mountains. You should outline the font with a dark-ish color, and make sure it appears it front of the landscape


Besides whether or not I

Besides whether or not I enjoyed it. I don’t think you should provide an alternative version of the game. I think you should stick to what you think is right and what you wanted to make and if people like it, thats good, and if they don’t like it, then that’s OK too.


Interesting consept, though I

Interesting consept, though I see it as some sort bizarre version Duck Hunt with no mallard drakes, as criticism of modern shooters it just does not really connect that well.


Wow...

I found this extremely unneverving and ultimately heart-rendering. I couldn’t believe what I was doing by simply holding the space bar. I felt dirty, angry, and ashamed of what I was doing. I wanted to stop but I couldn’t and in the end my person and that of the prisoner both died.

I sat there numb and hated myself for pushing the prisoner and angry at myself for letting it all happen.

Thank you for this enlightening work. It’s simple, beautiful and emotionally taxing.

You’ve brought the pain of Cambodia into my home with this game and I’m learning more about the Khmer Rouge and the effects of land mines.

Thank you.


Your game has moved me and

Your game has moved me and will move others, it is so amazing how they have sort of come out of the darkness. Thankyou thankyou thankyou for raising awareness.


Wait - you can do something

Wait - you can do something other than keep walking? Damn.


A bit abrupt, but the point

A bit abrupt, but the point was clear, if as subtle as a sledgehammer.

Was definitely worth playing, however.


A powerful experience and a

A powerful experience and a great way of conveying the atrocities that were committed.


Touching

I received the ending in which I shot the civillian. By the time I understood what was going to happen, I tried to think of any way to not kill the helpless person before me. In the end, I walked away from this experience feeling empty and very angry at the developer for making me feel this way. I think it’s a perfect reaction to such things and I wish more games made people feel that way.


re: the killer

the game is bad and gay just like you


Pretty moving stuff.

Pretty moving stuff.


Great use of ambuguity to not

Great use of ambuguity to not nudge people to do anything specific. My only suggestion would be to consider taking the song off of a loop. I took pauses while walking and just before entering the flowery area the song ended but then restarted. Seems to me silence would have been more impactful there as well as making the subsequent replaying of the song more impactful (when you make your decision).


The Killer

I couldn’t kill that person, the whole walk I had a sinking feeling and all I could think was, “God, please don’t let me have to kill this person.” I aimed into the sky and took a shot. I am very surprised at the emotional reaction I had to this game even though it was pitfall style graphics. I know hearing Jonsi probably help evoke my reaction to the game. This was very well done. Thank you.


What.

That… was… AMAZING. Horrifyingly amazing. very few game experiences have made me feel that way. Jeez..
I think eed a moment. that was crazyyyy good though. whew.


Great work!

I read about this on Giantbomb.com and I found it really, really good. It’s interesting because I chose to fire in the air, but I did kill the prisoner second time around, and I am going to go a third time and see what else may happen if I keep going. But that’s a piece of information I actually didn’t know anything about.


I hope enough people have the

I hope enough people have the patience to play through the notgame in order to see information at the end. Not enough people know about the country or what kind of state it has been left in since Pol Pot.


I feel so sad. Man’s

I feel so sad. Man’s inhumanity to man will never stop unfortunately.


Moving

Thoughtful, moving, and educational. Thank you.


Powerful

Amazingly powerful way to get your message across. Haunting.


I'm sorry

I feel that I will have to answer for the actions which transpired while playing this game someday. I regret having shot that person, and I wish I could take it back. I didn’t even know his name.


Thank you.

Thank you.


I understand the game and the

I understand the game and the issue you are dealing with, however, walking for so long is a bit too much time. But great job!


amazing

i was so moved by this. i shot in the air. the emotion of the song helped a lot with that but i think i would have done the same with out it. excellent job, really.


Oh, and thank you for not

Oh, and thank you for not just making me kill the guy. I shot away. I was actually going to stop playing the game if it made me shoot him.


Wonderful, simple and

Wonderful, simple and heartfelt. It seems genuine and unpretentious. :-)
However, I still call it a game. It is a computer game like any other; it just uses the game language much more efficiently to tell an emotionally compelling story, with a difference.

Cheers,


I think I had a completely

I think I had a completely different experience with this than with most people, because my first playthrough, I randomly died on the beach before ever having seen the fields. I thought that was intentional, that the “fields” were an empty promise to drive the prisoner on to their execution.

Playing through a second time (admittedly for the music), I was startled to find the “normal” ending.

On the subject of the music, I was able to find the artist, but could you offer information on the track and where it’s available?


Thank you for the kind words.

Thank you for the kind words. Regarding the music, the song is “Tornado” From Jonsi’s “Go” Album: http://jonsi.com/go . It is available to purchase on iTunes, Amazon, etc.


Bravo!

The concept, as the achievement, is amazing. Congratulations, it was a very effective and pleasant experience for me. I think I’m gonna recall that a lot more that if I just read it on a blog or something.
Thank you.


well done

I have just played “The Killer” and while I did not like it at first, once i got to the ending, i realised the point, and tears began to form in my eyes. This game has a brilliant, and powerful message to it, and you should feel very proud that you have made it. Any one who criticises this game, clearly does not get the point, so do not be disheartened by any people who complain about it.

yours sincerely

William Sinclair


Interesting

I found this game thought provoking. I had this chill, I had no idea what I was doing, and I felt bad for this stick figure. His name was unmentioned, his crime wasn’t told. But when I finally reached the fields. I took aim and shot him in the head. I don’t know if that was right or wrong. Yet this did show me something about myself. Unlike the other commenters, I shot this man. For no reason at all. And as I watched him float to the bottom of my screen I wondered… “Why did I kill this man?” I guess, at least to me, this game shows me a bit about myself. I follower orders, without wondering why. I was not told to shoot the man. Yet I did. I really don’t know how I fell about that now. Good job though on the creation of this nongame.


games

lol the worst game in the world that was really boring all it was walking ten at the end all you did is shoot in the head and showed some pics BORING! how long did it take 5 mins HA HA


Disappointing second time through.

I wanted to show this to somebody else, as I thought the part where you shoot the person was super emotional (with the music and whatnot). But it was ruined by a random explosion that killed both characters. It not only nearly killed my speakers, it just ruined that amazingly powerful atmosphere and experience.

Nice work on it and all, but how am I supposed to share my experience with others if this sorta thing happens?


i think this happens if you

i think this happens if you stop at any time, it happened to me the first time i played, figured this was the case, held the space bar the whole time second time round, and it went all the way through


great work

Music matches the theme.
Although it is a little bit long and most people will close the windows before the end, i think this is part of the metaphor so congratulation for the good work


Nice experiment

It had me thinking from the first moment I touched the space bar. I stopped several times, tried to see what I could do to interact with the other person, tried to see what the passage of time changes in our relationship, but in the end we ended up on the fields where I aimed for the sky and let the man go. I usually like seeing things out ‘till the end so I stuck with it for the outro, however I’m not sure most people would do the same. It’s nicely timed, but would probably not work well with most people in this age of instant gratification gaming/entertainment. If you’re trying to spread a message to the masses, this is probably not the best way of doing it, but as a piece of art (yes, games can be art. notgames doubly so) in itself, it’s beautifully executed and strikes a chord with the notplayer. In my case, anyway. Regards, Oskar


Bug

In the fields scene, when the game tells you to aim and shoot. However, when I aim and shoot in the air, I can’t shoot again. Is this a conscious decision? Can you shoot non-fatally?


You are only allowed one

You are only allowed one shot, and yes, you can shoot in the air. If you wait for a moment longer, you will see an end sequence.


I thought that this was well

I thought that this was well done and well thought out. I really liked the song that you chose, it went nicely with the whole mood of the “game” and kept it interesting. The coulours were magnificent and it overall sent the message very well.

twas’ Awesome!


wow...

That was honestly the most…sad…”thing” I have ever played. At first it was just weird, but then…then I noticed around myself, I almost began to question what I was doing, the setting, the music, it just all seem to generate emotions that were…Intriguing. then at the end…I had never felt so much remorse for wanting to kill a stick-figure, so I didn’t.

Thank you for this, and completely sending my brain into the strangest state of mind it has been in years. Please keep doing what you do.

-Isaiah Stebbins
Student of Psychology


Wow.

Beautiful, haunting, and powerful. Congratulations.


I felt no reason to shoot

I felt no reason to shoot this stick person, I didn’t know anything at all about the situation so I shot my gun off in the air and he ran free.


Replying to myself, being

Replying to myself, being more honest. I didn’t actually shoot in the air, I put the reticule on the soldiers (my?) head and pulled the trigger.


freedom

I shot the soldier (“myself”?) in the head when the targeting reticule came up in the fields, and the “prisoner” was able to run free…intentional?
Beautiful.
Thank you…


AWESOME

AWESOME


simple n awesome

I just like whatever i’ve seen inside it. Keep it up.
By the way, are you planning to go to Nepal. you must. :)


Your notgame

I always keep an eye on what my teenage son is posting on Facebook and that’s how I reached your “notgame”. As a mom I very much appreciate the intention to educate in a way that kids will be interested. As a person that ordinarily does not like video games, I really liked your “notgame”. I found it thought-provoking and with artistic merit. Clever idea very well executed. At the risk of my son unfriending me in Facebook for daring to give an opinion, I am giving you a thumbs-up. Best wishes!


Brilliant

Nothing else to say really, I just had to leave a comment. Who would’ve thought such an emotional experience could be achieved with a simple background, a beautiful song and a couple of stick figures. Using a real world scenario, but keeping it unknown until the end, adds to the weight of the experience and lets the player feel attached to the “characters” without allowing players to detach themselves by identifying it as an “educational” game.

In a word: brilliant.

Well done.


What gives me the right?

At first I was like… I can’t do anything but walk. What’s the point?

Then i started listening to the music. Noticed the way I had to push the other man forward with the point of a gun. So this is an execution, I thought to myself. What was this man’s crime? Does he deserve to die. The music made me pretty sad. I was thinking the game was going to make me kill the man. When I periodically stopped walking to see if there was anything else I could do, the game told me the field was beyond the beach; at which point there was no doubt in my mind. I was supposed to take this stick figure man out to pasture. Still, I didn’t think of him as a stick figure man. I suddenly began rooting for the condemned man. “Do something,” I thought, but he never did. We finally reached the beach. I had made my decision long before that. I wasn’t going to kill the man. I knew not his crime, or if a crime had even been committed. I pointed the gun at “my” own head and fired. The gun shot harmlessly into the air, and the no-longer condemned man escaped. I was amazed at how emotional the whole experience was.