Ironically, the actual gameplay in Presentable Liberty is found in mini-games that are given to the player by a "prison buddy" who relates the increasingly desperate measures he must take to afford such items. In the context of the narrative of Presentable Liberty this is somewhat lose-lose: because if the narrative (as it is related in the letters) is true, then it is nonsensical but if it is not true, then receiving the letters (and indeed the majority of the game) is a waste of time. Because the veracity of the letters is left in doubt, what is and is not reality within the game is left at the discretion of the developer. As such, the revelations and twists that the game provides (such as they are) fall somewhat flat. Seeing that we are given almost nothing to either substantiate or refute anything that the letters claim, it is hard not to take all of their details with a pinch of salt. Given the impotent position the player is placed, these instructions mostly constitute an annoyance. The characters in these letters at times pointlessly plead, implore or command the player to perform various tasks (such as leaving his cell, or stopping letters from another character from being delivered). These notes purport the inform the player about the game's universe, as the unseen characters relate surreal details concerning a supposed viral pandemic that has supposedly left all but a handful of people dead. These letters, from apparently four different individuals, vary in their script, styles, and register to reflect the different voices of these unseen characters. Developers: WertpolPlatforms: PCĭespite the absence of people for the player to see or interact with, the player is nonetheless subject to communication through the medium of typed or hand-written letters which magically appear under the door of your cell. As nobody ever appears at the cell door, this means that the player's role within the game is minimal. You are locked in a cell, and have no capacity to move, communicate, or even look outside the bounds of your cramped room with only a clock, some furniture and… a spider for company. While the usual course of action for the player is to immediately attempt to escape these surroundings, you quickly discover that your incarcerated state is the substance of the game. By limiting the player to such an extent, the limitations become the agency in the story.By Duncan Wallace | Feb 9 2015The game Presentable Liberty is a first person indie game which places the player in a standard setting of waking up, with apparent amnesia, trapped in an unfamiliar setting. Watch how he frantically tries to communicate with the characters, looking for any possible way to escape it’s fascinating to see the effectiveness of the story and how it slowly drives him to brief insanity. You can observe firsthand how the agency is created by the player, as he actively tries to participate but finds there is nothing he can do, allowing himself to feel how the protagonist probably feels. This can be seen in this video, as YouTuber Markiplier records his reactions as the story plays out. However it’s the feeling of helplessness that drives the story, and the player actively participates even though it can’t be helped. At first, this may seem like a lack of agency, given that the player cannot influence the story or make decisions. The player literally cannot do anything to change how the game plays out and concludes. The unique angle the game provides is its lack of power given to the player. There is no indication as to why they are sent so quickly or who is delivering them, the player can only read the emails and observe the gifts that come with them. There is nothing to do in the cell, only to read the constant letters delivered to your cell and to play occasional video games provided by your “Happy Buddy”, an over-eager cell-mate intent on bolstering your spirits with gifts. The letters are delivered in a non-sensical fashion, they seem to arrive as soon as they are written by the characters at such unrealistic speed. In Presentable Liberty the player controls a prisoner in a small cell receiving letters from the game’s characters. It is a sequel to his previous game, “Exoptable Money” where the player controls a money-making machine and un-willingly releases a deadly virus on the world. “Presentable Liberty” is an indie horror game distributed for free by gamejolt user Wertpol in December 2014.
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