Look, Anodyne came out nine years ago and I should probably be writing about something newer. Last night I was thinking back through my priority list, (That's a list of 2D RPGs I recommend playing if you haven't played many or are looking for what to play.) and I have Anodyne fairly high up on the chart.
In fact, I consider Anodyne a MUST PLAY. Primarily because it is a fantastic example of creating mood through sparseness. There is a sparseness in the music, the scenery, the dialog, and the interactable objects that all come together for a somber, creepy and intriguing feel.
Most criticism of the game comes from the lack of context around the story and plot, which I can understand. And also some jumping puzzles, but there's nothing wrong with them.
The game has been called out for being pretentious, but I think it's explained better by it's creators:
"This led to the reaction that we were pretentious — I prefer the description “lacking in skill”, because these reactions came from our inability to present the NPCs well, rather than trying to seem clever or very smart."
I think that helps sum up what is going on, and the result is actually weird, wild, and spectacular. No loose ends are tied up and you will never really know what is going on. I have my preferences though, which I will sort out at the bottom of this page. Watch for spoilers.
Finally, another major reason I say must play is that it's short. My first time through was about 6 hours and there's an achievement for 3 hours. So why not? Stay up late on Saturday, pound some beers, and have a little creep fest.
Now I'll do a quick category run down.
Battle
Zelda-esque action. You have a broom to hit things and move dust around for puzzle time. And you can jump. That's it. It works and yes it would get old if the game wasn't short. Perfect combo.
Story
There's really not a lot of story. There are few NPCs and the dialogue is far between. And yet... this is why you are here.
You play Young, traveling through The Land at the direction of The Sage, in order to save The Briar. You also encounter a girl on a bike named Wares. The bike is named Wares, the girl is named Mitra. which, means friend in Sanskrit.
Sound
The music and effects combine seemingly morph into a state of mystery, intrique and light creepiness. The music is sparse and light, a little eerie, and the sound effects add a dissonance when activated a switch or save point. It's dissonant harmony. It's so important that I believe you could replace the music and sound and completely change the game. Add heroic or upbeat tracks and the game would likely not have found success.
Spoilers
Here's my take on what is going on.
The game takes place inside Young's mind. He is probably actually named Yang or Ying or Yon. However he is dealing with the briars, the prickly entaglements of adolescent life. He turns to escapism to get away from problems, people, maybe even feelings. The escapism is both inside his mind and also in the form of video games. It's no coincidence that Anodyne is a word for painkiller. There is a part of him telling him to defeat the Briar, to rid himself of the things that cause pain. (There's also some vibes that his mother has passed away, hinted at by the first boss and second dungeon.) In the end, he stands up to the part of him trying to squash the briar, he faces it, and ultimately embraces it as it will carry him to his future.
Adolescence is difficult. There's pressure from adults and peers to fit into a mold. You are hesitant to allow the things that make you different to show. It can be anything, a penchant for cooking or a "strange" fashion sense. Your sexuality or religious faith. You feel like you have to hide it or squash it. But ultimately, it makes you who you are and it makes you interesting. Embracing it will free you for your life ahead.
Anyway, that's my take on Anodyne. I'm grateful to the creators for giving me space to explore.
