Analogue: A Hate Story Time played: 4 hours
Analogue is a visual novel. That will probably scare most people away but don't go just yet because it's absolutely fantastic.
It opens with you the player being sent to investigate the Mugunghwa, a Korean colonisation spaceship that was lost many years ago. Your objective is to retrieve the logs from the ship and return them to your organisation. But when you are greeted by the AI *Hyun-ae you open the door to an isolated world of male-dominated society and monarchy politics.
Gameplay involves the player interfacing with the system through both a command-driven interface to interact with the ship's primary systems and a menu and yes/no decision interface when viewing files with an AI. While the gameplay does offer a few puzzles a some points, it's definitely not the main draw of Analogue.
As *Hyun-ae, and later another AI *Mute guide you through what transpired on the Mugunghwa you will delve into the sad tales of many of the former residents. And this is something Analogue does brilliantly. As you search for files and query them with the AIs you are reading into the diaries and private conversations of the high society of the ship, and viewing their skewed society's view in issues like gender equality, homosexuality, our own perceived worth and being a "true gentleman". And Christine Love deals with these issues superbly. These issues aren't taken lightly and as a result it can become quite a harrowing tale.
Another thing that Love does well is sexual content. Analogue has none of it, in the usual sense anyway. You are delving into the lives of the passengers of this ship and for some, that includes their sexual lives. But this never becomes an erotic story and that is something that really benefits it.
Overall it is a fantastic visual novel with a genuinely moving story with characters you will become attached to. Even for those unfamiliar with the genre it is a definite recommend for its engrossing narrative.
5 Stars
*****
Note: For those that enjoyed or are interested in Analogue, I recommend playing "don't take it personally, babe, it just ain't your story". While Love's previous work doesn't keep the far futuristic setting, it does include the intriguing story and issues. You are a new teacher in a near future high school who has access to the social media accounts of your students allowing you a constant view into their thoughts. A unique mechanic that leads to some really interesting results. And it's free so you have no excuse.