By John Walker on October 22nd, 2010 at 1:25 pm.
I like the sound of anything zen at the moment. Gosh I’m tired. Fortunately, looking at screenshots of The UnderGarden makes me feel all peaceful and serene. Described as a puzzle exploration game, it boasts relaxing physics challenges, and local co-op so players can, and I swear this is a direct quote, “chill out, work together to solve puzzles and explore the world.” Man. It’s due out on the 10th November, but we should hopefully be taking a look at it before then. In the mean time, “chill out” with these screenshots.
I can’t be the only person thinking “In The Night Garden”, surely?
22/10/2010 at 14:01 origo says:
its beautiful and a bit interesting. its about time somebody starts creating games about chillin’ and explorin’.
22/10/2010 at 16:15 BAReFOOt says:
I love games with that glowing neon look. Although I’d prefer a non-child-avatar surreal remote world sci-fi setting.
23/10/2010 at 01:23 disperse says:
@origo
If you haven’t already, you owe it to yourself to try Knytt Stories (or any of Nifflas’ games really)
http://nifflas.ni2.se/?page=Knytt+Stories
22/10/2010 at 14:02 Berzee says:
To copy and paste my comment from last time:
If there’s anybody who is actually a Zen-ist (Zenite? Zenian?) they probably get annoyed at computer games for calling everything that is soothing, “zen”. And by annoying them we ruin their peaceful zentiments boo ha ha hah
22/10/2010 at 15:31 Shazbut says:
I’ve been practising Rinzai Zen daily for a few years and yeah…Zen is not soothing for the vast majority of the time. It’s working on your koan until you start crying from despair and then ocassionally having a breakthrough
When a game comes out that is about releasing attachment to all the internal phenomena that you unconsciously assumed made up your “self” then that might be more like Zen.
But oh God lets not talk about this.
22/10/2010 at 15:33 Shazbut says:
Zennist is the term, yeah
22/10/2010 at 15:38 Shazbut says:
Oh look, I shouldn’t have said “internal” either. I meant internal from the perspective of one who hasn’t yet realised there is no internal or external. Like me, I mean, I haven’t realised that yet. Maybe one day. Anyway yeah ok yeah kthxbye
22/10/2010 at 16:09 phlebas says:
That does sound a rather fascinating premise for a game.
22/10/2010 at 21:24 Crabtacular says:
I get the feeling that, if the person truly realises Zen, they really wouldn’t mind either way.
22/10/2010 at 14:12 phlebas says:
The screenshots make me think of Bob Came In Pieces and Aquaria, which would make this fairly certainly my cup of relaxing zen tea.
22/10/2010 at 14:40 James G says:
Yep, Aquaria also came to mind here, a great game. Also, bizarrely reminded me of Little Big Planet, although that is possibly just due to my recent acquisition of a telly-box-fun-extender of the stationary, rather than boxy nature.
22/10/2010 at 14:15 Doeke says:
Worrying about what is zen is not zen.
22/10/2010 at 15:18 Berzee says:
Neither is your face, stupid baby.
22/10/2010 at 14:15 Oak says:
Anything zen? Anything zen? I don’t think so.
22/10/2010 at 17:50 Unaco says:
You beat me to this comment, by about 4 hours. At least I know what my early Friday evening music will be.
22/10/2010 at 14:18 Muzman says:
Looks like The Void for kids.
22/10/2010 at 14:19 Antsy says:
None of that is Zen.
This is zen.
22/10/2010 at 16:21 BAReFOOt says:
It’s interesting, how in terms of mental illnesses, while “normal” religion is “outwards” in that the (wrong) inner model gets forced on the world until reality is gone, zen is “inwards” in that you nullify your own existence until only the world is left.
Both goals are the opposite of normal behavior of a human brain, where the inner model is in consistent sync with outside reality.
22/10/2010 at 17:17 Antsy says:
No.
22/10/2010 at 18:47 Berzee says:
Double no.
22/10/2010 at 16:13 BAReFOOt says:
Tired? Zen? I recommend Cryosleep radio then: http://www.shoutcast.com/radio/Ambient
Or perhaps Drone Zone. Or ZenRadio.
Cryosleep is awesome for very subtle background atmosphere as a soundtrack to the game that is your home at night Just turn it down/up to where it sounds like it’s part of the room.
22/10/2010 at 16:14 Bozzley says:
Hehe, UnderGarden :)
22/10/2010 at 17:00 Nallen says:
Looks like it could be enhanced by the liberal application of marijuana.
22/10/2010 at 17:38 HV says:
There is literally nothing that can’t be improved by the liberal application of marijuana
23/10/2010 at 08:53 BonusWavePilot says:
Having tested this theory thoroughly and across a wide range of phenomena, I would like to suggest ‘heavy drinking’ as a rare exception to the rule…
23/10/2010 at 01:52 Sam Crisp says:
It looks beautiful, but I’m afraid “physics challenges” has completely turned me off. I can’t stand physics puzzles. I’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying Shadow Physics, World of Goo, Trine, Bob Came in Pieces, and the like. :(