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[Dusk Golem]

Virginia is a surreal mystery walking simulator game inspired by the likes of David Lynch (Twin Peaks in particular), X-Files, & Noir films. It releases today on Steam, Xbox One, & PS4 for $9.99 USD, and so reviews have been hitting. And it seems it's a game worth talking about.

AV Club - Positive

“Lynchian” is a loaded term. In the right hands, it implies a deeper meaning behind a series of surreal images and events, an understanding that peeks from behind cryptic dream sequences and improbable happenings. In the wrong ones, it implies little more than a creative team that’s watched far too much Twin Peaks. Virginia lands on the better side of that divide. I won’t claim to understand the symbolism behind every moment and sight, but that hasn’t stopped the game from convincing me that said meanings do exist and lingering on them long after its short run time has come and gone.

Eurogamer - Positive

Or, to put it in other words, Virginia is a marvel crammed into a neat two-hour running time, and you must play it.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Positive

So, do you want to try a game that is “strange and confounding”? If it was up to me, everyone would play this. Then they would tell me not just what they thought of it, but what a certain item, location or actor signified, because an important part of Virginia may well be what you bring to it. I know many won’t like the idea of traipsing through its scenes or passively watching its unfoldings and, sure, if you think you won’t enjoy any of that, you’re right on the money. But if you’re a little bit curious, or if you enjoyed any of the games with which it shares its DNA, Virginia may be one of the oddest and most fascinating things you’ve played in a long, long time. Vivid Virginia is a hell of a lot more than plain old “walking.”

Telegraph - 5/5

Virginia hit me right in the chest, the kind of game I’ve wanted to exist for years, and the first game to actually nail it in a way that I think fully takes advantage of the potential. It is the game that titles like Dear Esther, Gone Home and Firewatch have hinted at, but in a way that evolves the interactive narrative form way beyond anything we’ve seen before. It’s a game to savour and talk about for years to come, one that left me, just like the inhabitants of Kingdom, Virginia, speechless.

TIME - 4.5/5

And what gorgeous, reverberant moments there are in this game, empowered by its absent words and explanations. As David Lynch put it, answering a question about Lost Highway, “There’s things that have to happen, information that has to be given, for the thing to go. To say with words any more, would not be good.”

Polygon - 9/10

Virginia’s deviance from norms makes it the sort of game that demands to be discussed among friends and, in this respect, the comparisons with Twin Peaks are apt. Although there’s only one ending to this game, it’s confounding enough to leave multiple possible interpretations, which is often the mark of a great story. Such is its power and originality, I suspect Virginia will have significant influences over games yet to be conceived.

Game Debate - 9/10

Virginia is a sharp thinking, plot driven single-player adventure like few out there. It borrows heavily from other games of its ilk, yet twists it into its own strange beast. Unlike plenty of others, such as Firewatch, Virginia also manages to actually live up to its premise and deliver a satisfying, thought provoking conclusion. I'd love to go deeper on this because Virginia is a game all about its story and it's delivered, but a mystery such as this best served piping hot with a cup of joe on the side.

Playstation Universe - 9/10

Virginia takes the adventure game to new places, and while not everyone might want to join in on the trip, those that do will be rewarded with a thoroughly mesmerizing experience that stays with you long after the credits roll

ICXM - 9/10

Overall, Virginia is an unorthodox experience we haven’t received in the gaming world yet and I don’t know how people will find it. Despite its short length and constrained gameplay, it tells an intriguing story with multiple layers and given its low price of admission, I heartily recommend it. My only complaint would be that I wish the game allowed you to interact with your environment more and explore it to a greater degree. While there are secrets which need to be discovered through multiple playthroughs, that sense of being caged never goes away. However, that doesn’t detract from the gameplay and Virginia is unlike anything else you’ve ever played before.

VideoGamer - 8/10

As a whole, and occasional framerate drops aside, Virginia is wonderfully cinematic, and a fantastic story to inhabit as it unfolds. It's just not for everyone. Which is true of everything that's ever been made, I suppose, and in this case at least what has been made is new and different, and incredibly stylish.

True Achievements - 4/5

Virginia is a game because of its avenues of release and its use of a controller, but it is the most cinematic, movie-like game that may have yet been created. That's meant as a compliment but it's understood that plenty don't care for such a shallow gameplay experience. However, like all of the best first-person adventure games, or "walking sims", Virginia works better than its movie inspirations because of the inherent interactivity that comes with telling a story in this medium. It goes all in on delivering a surreal, Lynchian narrative and hits that nail of unreality on the head, all the way down to leaving you wondering what exactly you just witnessed.

The Sixth Axis - 8/10

Virginia’s tale of intrigue and mystery quickly comes full circle. In that time, it will take you to some pretty surprising, extraordinary places, and easily warrants a second playthrough. The closing moments may not be to everyone’s taste, though the journey to get there is certainly worthwhile.

Alphr - 4/5

Virginia is absolutely worth playing, if only to see a game that kicks against the structures of games; importing languages from cinema and seeing if the hybrid can hold together. It doesn’t – not all the time, anyway – but these tensions are interesting to experience all the same. There are moments that frustrate in their unrelenting linearity, but there are moments that show a game can be made from interruptions, edits and jump cuts – less in thrall to the player and closer, perhaps, to the dizzy jolt of À bout de souffle.

Game Reactor - 8/10

It's hard to shake the feeling that Virginia won't be for everyone, that some people will question the lack of interaction or bemoan the on-rails approach to gameplay, and that's fine, no game can be everything to everyone. Virginia sits a strange place where it borrows ideas in almost equal measure from gaming and cinema/television, and the resulting experience may well prove divisive. But that's not the case for us. We thought it an interesting and worthwhile experience that reaped the benefits of some very clever design decisions. Perhaps Variable State could've been a bit tighter on the leash when it came to guiding us towards some of the less obvious story beats, but that's a fairly tricky tightrope to walk and on the whole we thought they did a good job. This a strange, obscure and challenging piece of interactive entertainment, but at the same it's also intriguing, thoughtful and full of heart. You might not have hold of the wheel for most of your journey through Virginia, but doesn't mean that you should expect an easy ride.

PC Gamer - 72%

But there’s nothing else quite like Virginia on PC. It’s beautifully presented, incredibly atmospheric, and features one of the best videogame scores in recent years. But perhaps its greatest accomplishment is how, with a completely silent narrative, its cast is somehow more interesting than characters from other games who have thousands of lines of dialogue.

Words About Games - 7/10

Virginia is a deeply intriguing game. It tells an interesting story with some really gripping elements of drama, although it sometimes feels as though the individual ways the narrative is presented are at odds with each other. The lack of dialogue and quick cuts between scenes works really well in places, drawing you right into the game. In other places it feels jarring, unnatural and ejects you from the experience. While the former examples definitely outnnumber the latter, it happens enough that it’s worth mentioning. For the most part though the story, characters, soundtrack, imagery and art style combine to form a fascinating game that’s well worth experiencing.

The Guardian - 3/5

Virginia might not be the next big indie favourite, but at only £7 those interested in the different ways that games can tell stories should check it out anyway. And everyone else should buy it for the soundtrack alone.

Bleeding Cool - 6/10

Brilliance And Frustration

Destructoid - 3/10

Virginia is, at its best, a gaming mechanism that provides slightly more immersion than watching a movie -- and at its worst, a failed walking simulator with a convoluted ending. Because it is a scripted experience light on interaction and choice, I'm not entirely sure I can recommend it as a game. There may be an inkling of promise in its budding story, but for many I imagine it will be hard to read between the lines and even harder to consider it a worthy experience.

Tech Raptor - 2.5/10

An interesting idea that has flashes of brilliance, but is hampered by baffling and counter-intuitive design decisions.

---

Will post more reviews as they come.

Also if anyone's curious, there's a demo available to play on all platforms to try yourself before you buy.

 

[purseowner]

Only two hours? Excellent.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

I was liking the look of this from the trailers, pleased to see it getting a positive reception from media.

 

[skynidas]

So Caitlin from Destructoid is pretty much saying that this is not a game in her opinion. Hmmmm.

 

[K.Sabot]

the way i've heard this game explained to me, it sounds like bums.

but i guess people like bums too so that's okay

 

[mjp2417]

All of the advance word on this has been glowing. Not surprising to see it getting these kinds of reviews.

 

[kriskrosbbk]

Sounds interesting and on top of that I just finished Twin Peaks last night for a second time.Hope it is not performing as Firewatch on PS4 tho.Also do the characters talk at all?

 

[Shiggy]

Can someone post more of Destructoid's reasoning? The site asks me to put in a Captcha code to read their review, but no Captcha ever appears. Find their reasoning based on the snippet a bit odd. Her Story was a worthy experience BECAUSE of its focus on story for example.

 

[PetriP-TNT]

Very interested in this for sure

 

[Dusk Golem]

Updated with some more niche site scores.

Can someone post more of Destructoid's reasoning? The site asks me to put in a Captcha code to read their review, but no Captcha ever appears. Find their reasoning based on the snippet a bit odd.

The Destructoid Review opening paragraph:

It's a game, I guess?

What defines a game? Is it the interactive elements, the experiences we take from it? Is it the ability to tell a story via immersion, or the impact it leaves us with? All of the above?

Later in before the paragraph I posted:

I'm not quite sure how to parse Virginia. On one hand, it's a self-described interactive drama where you lead the hunt for a missing boy in the rural heartland of America. On the other hand, it's a two-hour clickable movie with erratic storytelling elements and a lack of gameplay beyond restricted movements. When the interaction is barely there, is it then to be examined as simply a drama?

Sounds like she's not happy with it as a game so reviewed it lowly because she doesn't think it's a game.

Sounds interesting and on top of that I just finished Twin Peaks last night for a second time.Hope it is not performing as Firewatch on PS4 tho.Also do the characters talk at all?

To my understanding, there is no dialogue in Virginia. There is some newspaper clippings, though.

 

[YianGaruga]

Can someone post more of Destructoid's reasoning? The site asks me to put in a Captcha code to read their review, but no Captcha ever appears. Find their reasoning based on the snippet a bit odd. Her Story was a worthy experience BECAUSE of its focus on story for example.

Not everyone likes these kinds of experiences in games.

The review is basically saying the game is much less immersive and interesting than it could have been because of the extremely limited interactivity, and the story is not that good to begin with.

It's a perfectly fine opinion to have, but probably one people who are looking for a weird interactive movie can safely disregard.

Also, afaik, Destructoid uses the "full scale", so this would probably have been a 6/10 on most other sites.

For a game like this it's pretty common to have "extreme" reviews. On the high and on the low end.

 

[hemo memo]

Wishlisted. Playing the demo first because this looks very interesting. Thanks Dusk Golem.

 

[pixellated_man]

Sounds like my type of game.
Short, movie like experiences are great for a busy dad with kids. No qualms about short games from this old man here

 

[thenexus6]

Nice reviews, I played the demo and liked what I saw. Not sure if I want to go PC or PS4 yet.

 

[benzopil]

Nice reviews, I played the demo and liked what I saw. Not sure if I want to go PC or PS4 yet.

PS4 performance is not the best. Not Firewatch-level, but still not great. It's made on Unity after all. It didn't ruin my experience, but I think you should play on PC if possible.

 

[chadskin]

Mostly great reviews, very fair price and even a demo - terrific debut by Variable State.

Oh, and not to shamelessly plug other games here but make sure to check out the recently released The Bunker (PC/PS4/XB1) and Event[0] (PC), too, if you like short, story-driven games and are in the mood for fresh experiences outside of the usual AAA framework.

 

[KainXVIII]

irginia is, at its best, a gaming mechanism that provides slightly more immersion than watching a movie -- and at its worst, a failed walking simulator with a convoluted ending. Because it is a scripted experience light on interaction and choice, I'm not entirely sure I can recommend it as a game. There may be an inkling of promise in its budding story, but for many I imagine it will be hard to read between the lines and even harder to consider it a worthy experience.

Yeah, i will skip it.

 

[Harmen]

Will definitely check this out.

 

[Elven_Star]

Been itching for a proper narrative-driven game since Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. I'm going in completely blind. Have seen a couple of review scores (the Destructoid one seems weird...) and the word "Lynch" here and there. That's it.
Isn't it strange that you can't buy the game on Steam yet? Only a couple of hours till release. I wish publishers sorted these things out better. Didn't buy Trails of Cold Steel II, because it didn't go up on the Playstation Store until the very last moment, and I was out of cash by then (PC upgrade). Now, I'm like "might as well wait for a sale."

 

[More_Badass]

Been itching for a proper narrative-driven game since Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. I'm going in completely blind. Have seen a couple of review scores (the Destructoid one seems weird...) and the word "Lynch" here and there. That's it.
Isn't it strange that you can't buy the game on Steam yet? Only a couple of hours till release. I wish publishers sorted these things out better. Didn't buy Trails of Cold Steel II, because it didn't go up on the Playstation Store until the very last moment, and I was out of cash by then (PC upgrade). Now, I'm like "might as well wait for a sale."

Most indie games don't do preorders, but I'm surprised this one doesn't since it has a publisher

 

[SZips]

I was sold on this after playing the demo earlier tonight. Really enjoyed its style.

 

[SomTervo]

Brain-deep in Twin Peaks for the first time properly this month.

I am so, so ready for this.

 

[PranooY]

Short and interesting which is perfect for me. Wishlisted and hope it isn't too expensive.

 

[Dusk Golem]

Short and interesting which is perfect for me. Wishlisted and hope it isn't too expensive.

Releases in a few hours for $9.99 USD between Xbox One, PS4, & Steam.

 

[kitsuneyo]

Dropping David Lynch's name to hype a game is a pretty lame thing to do. I don't know anything about Virginia but I seriously doubt it compares well with Twin Peaks, Lost Highway and other Lynch stuff.

Edit - I will play it since it's on Mac

 

[BTA]

Was already looking forward to it, so these scores are great to see. The price helps as well.

Only question is whether to play it immediately or wait to play it with friends in a month.

Spoiler

Maybe I'll do both.

 

[Easy_D]

Yeah, i will skip it.

The fact that you single out the one review that really bashes it makes it pretty clear you already made up your mind.

 

[Dusk Golem]

Dropping David Lynch's name to hype a game is a pretty lame thing to do. I don't know anything about Virginia but I seriously doubt it compares well with Twin Peaks, Lost Highway and other Lynch stuff.

Virginia was announced over two years ago in 2014, and since the beginning hasn't been shy about its Lynch influence.

To quote the developers two years ago:

"Virginia is influenced by the weird, surreal mysteries of the 1990s. It's Twin Peaks crossed with The X-Files, with a dash of The Outer Limits tossed in. We grew up and loved these type of shows, and wanted to do our own take on it... The influence is there squarely, but just as much as the town of Twin Peaks is a view into David Lynch's mind, I hope myself, Terry, and [composer Lyndon Holland] leave something of ourselves in Virginia."

However, the Lynch influence obviously shone through since almost every review mentions it, but to quote one of the reviews (the top one I posted even):

“Lynchian” is a loaded term. In the right hands, it implies a deeper meaning behind a series of surreal images and events, an understanding that peeks from behind cryptic dream sequences and improbable happenings. In the wrong ones, it implies little more than a creative team that’s watched far too much Twin Peaks. Virginia lands on the better side of that divide.

 

[More_Badass]

Dropping David Lynch's name to hype a game is a pretty lame thing to do. I don't know anything about Virginia but I seriously doubt it compares well with Twin Peaks, Lost Highway and other Lynch stuff.

Edit - I will play it since it's on Mac

I'd argue that a site like AV Club probably knows and understands the term and meaning better than a gaming site, so I'd trust their judgement on a game's cinematic influences

 

[Elven_Star]

Was already looking forward to it, so these scores are great to see. The price helps as well.

Only question is whether to play it immediately or wait to play it with friends in a month.

Spoiler

Maybe I'll do both.

You have friends who play games like this together? Do you live in paradise?

 

[More_Badass]

You have friends who play games like this together? Do you live in paradise?

He might be assuming it's a game with choices a la Telltale's stuff.

 

[Visualante2]

I actually appreciate the Destructoid perspective, I'm not sure if that's speaking very specifically to their audience but this is a recipe for buyer's remorse. You have indie dev dropping names of cult classic shows, and then wrapping it up in a divisive format.

Seems like something I'll try at after seeing some GAF impressions or on sale. I've fallen for the press indie love in one too many times. The only guys I really trust on this are RPS, and I know they liked it in previews.

 

[NeoRaider]

Really Destructoid?? Really?

 

[Dusk Golem]

I actually appreciate the Destructoid perspective, I'm not sure if that's speaking very specifically to their audience but this is a recipe for buyer's remorse. You have indie dev dropping names of cult classic shows, and then wrapping it up in a divisive format.

Seems like something I'll try at after seeing some GAF impressions or on sale. I've fallen for the press indie love in one too many times. The only guys I really trust on this are RPS, and I know they liked it in previews.

Really Destructoid?? Really?

I think any review from someone who's played the game is a honest opinion, and even if an outlier like Destructoid's is at the moment, can be useful for those who may feel that way towards the game.

I know I personally will probably like this a lot, I happen to love walking simulators, especially ones with interesting settings, stories, and atmosphere, I love all of David Lynch's films (even Dune) and Twin Peaks is my favorite TV series of all time, and I don't mind inspired-from titles that also try to do their own thing. Basically there's an incredibly high chance I'll love this. But it's good to see different perspectives from others' This game may strike strongly with the audience it aims at, but it probably does not have universal appeal, and I think reviewers simply should portray their own thoughts on a game.

While this game is getting mostly 9's, I think too many people put too much emphasis on 'review mob mentality' in that a game has to be sweepingly positive to get their attention, which forgoes the whole point that games are experiences that everyone will experience differently, and that everyone will feel differently on partially due to personal tastes, and how reviewers consume games is quite different than how the average consumer does (they have to constantly play games, even ones they may not like, for a living). I say don't shame those who feel differently, but respect the differences and why their opinion is different than the rest, and in turn observe why the general opinion is formed.

It also obviously helps to learn your own developed taste in games, of course. In Virginia's case there is a demo to help identify if it's for you or not (though I have not played it as I want to go in mostly blind, but I know the demo has sold a few people on the game).

 

[More_Badass]

Really Destructoid?? Really?

Should a reviewer not state her honest opinion if it doesn't match with other opinions?

Remember, a review isn't a assessment of a work's qualities but an expression of opinion about that work's qualities.

 

[NeoRaider]

Should a reviewer not state her honest opinion if it doesn't match with other opinions?

Remember, a review isn't a assessment of a work's quality but an expression of opinion about that work

Yes, they have every right to state their opinion just like i have right to react to it how i want to and think about it what i want to.

 

[M.Steiner]

Looking pretty good for the most part!
Had my eye on this since it was first revealed so will be picking it up on Steam as soon as it's available.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Should a reviewer not state her honest opinion if it doesn't match with other opinions?

Remember, a review isn't a assessment of a work's qualities but an expression of opinion about that work's qualities.

I wish more people would remember this. I have played games that the common consensus among media is highly positive but I myself found them to be dull, monotonous experiences. It's all subjective. I'm pleased it's scoring well but I play it and might not like it. At the price point I'll give it a shot.

 

[More_Badass]

Yes, they have every right to state their opinion just like i have right to react to it how i want to and think about it what i want to.

True, but your post comes across as a incredulous "How could they?" kind of tone, which is why Dusk and I responded as such

 

[NeoRaider]

I wish more people would remember this. I have played games that the common consensus among media is highly positive but I myself found them to be dull, monotonous experiences. It's all subjective.

It happens to everyone.
But giving 3 for the game that is getting mostly 8 and 9 is kinda... weird, don't you think? I know that reviews are usually opinion of one person that's why i almost never buy games based on press reviews. You should have seen what happened in FH3 reviews thread few days ago because one reviewer gave it 2/5. Only thing i wrote here was "really?" that's it. Nothing serious.

 

[More_Badass]

It happens to everyone.
But giving 3 for the game that is getting mostly 8 and 9 is kinda... weird, don't you think?

Not at all when a review offers reasoning and perspective to provide context for a score

While I may not agree with her opinion on what defines a game, I understand how her perspective shaped her opinion of this game

 

[KainXVIII]

The fact that you single out the one review that really bashes it makes it pretty clear you already made up your mind.

Yeah, i played demo and don't really like lack of any dialogs.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

It happens to everyone.
But giving 3 for the game that is getting mostly 8 and 9 is kinda... weird, don't you think? I know that reviews are usually opinion of one person that's why i almost never buy games based on press reviews. You should have seen what happened in FH3 reviews thread few days ago because one reviewer gave it 2. Only thing i wrote here was "really?" that's it. Nothing serious.

Yeah I see where you are coming from. It could honestly just be that persons honest view of the game. If they are clear and concise with their views I don't have a problem. It's when the agenda stuff starts I usually just leave people to it.

 

[whyman]

So its great or horrible. Ill buy it!

 

[NeoRaider]

Not at all when a review offers reasoning and perspective to provide context for a score

While I may not agree with her opinion on what defines a game, I understand how her perspective shaped her opinion of this game

There are some ppl that should just not review some genres of the games and stay away from them. That's it. This kind of game is not for everyone.

If i am not a fan of racing or RPG games in general i'm not gonna review them.

 

[YianGaruga]

This kind of game is not for everyone.

This is exactly the kind of information you get when you see a large range of reviews.
If all reviews were 8s and 9s how would you a potential customer know "it's not for everyone"? This is the only way reviews can be useful beyond confirming your own opinion.

You're taking this kinda personal.

 

[Corpekata]

There are some ppl that should just not review some genres of the games and stay away from them. That's it. This kind of game is not for everyone.

If i am not a fan of racing or RPG games in general i'm not gonna review them.

Why? Not everyone that reads reviews of a game are big fans of the genre, like yourself with racing or RPGs, and may appreciate a perspective that is similar. While there should be reviews for people that like a genre, there should also be some for those that are on the fence because sometimes there are games that bridge the audience gap.

Especially when we're talking about indie games where even getting the information out about what the game is can be difficult i the first place.

Just like not every game is not for everyone, every review is not for everyone as well. RPGcodex review will have a lot more meaning with a certain audience than IGN will, for instance.

 

[FelipeMGM]

Tech Raptor gave a 2.5/10

EDIT: in the OP already

 

[More_Badass]

There are some ppl that should just not review some genres of the games and stay away from them. That's it. This kind of game is not for everyone.

If i am not a fan of racing or RPG games in general i'm not gonna review them.

Those opinions are just as valuable, if not more so, IMO.

And I'd say your assessment may not be accurate. Considering she's reviewed a bunch of adventure games and loved SOMA, it's pretty clear she has a thing for narrative-driven games. You can glean her experience with those kinds of games by how she writes about the storytelling in Virginia.

 

[NeoRaider]

Why? Not everyone that reads reviews of a game are big fans of the genre, like yourself, and may appreciate a perspective that is similar. While there should be reviews for people that like a genre, there should also be some for those that are on the fence because sometimes there are games that bridge the audience gap.

Because it doesn't represent what that game (or other media) is and what it's trying to say and do.
That person (not being a fan) imo. is not capable of seeing full picture, and what that game has to offer. Again it's just one opinion, so it's not a big deal but like i said if i don't like recing games in general i'm not gonna review them because my review might turn out to be pointless.

Edit: And i am not saying that this review is.