25. Another World

(Various Home, Eric Chahi, 1991, US Title: Out Of This World)
Another World was the most sarcastic and miserable comic-book and film memorabilia store that ever existed. There, I got that out of the way.
Another World was also the title of an exquisite videogame designed and developed by Eric Chahi, an independent French programmer who singly handled brought the game about from conception to release.

Another World is a cinematic adventure telling the story of Lester Chaykin Knight,a young nuclear physicist who is thrust into a land beyond all comprehension when the particle accelerator he is working with is struck in a lightning storm. After this intro, the game begins and the player is immediately thrust into control, death can follow mere seconds in if the player doesn't hit the ground running. The terrified Lester has no time to take in his surroundings, from the second he materialises, the fight for survival is on.
The journey will take Lester through a stark, minimalist land where everything is a danger and adaptation is the only course of action if Lester is to survive and hopefully find a way back home.

Another World is beautiful. After being inspired by the Amiga's brave attempts at handling Don Bluth's laserdisc games, Chahi conceived a world of characters created out of vectored polygons, allowing for more depth and colour whilst not taking up as much storage space. The land in Another World is a stark and bare, at once enchanting and terrifying, filled with deadly creatures and bizarre inhabitants. Lester is truly out of his depth from minute one and is battling from each scene to the next, completely oblivious to where he is going or why. Lester doesn't have time to figure out how to get home, he's too busy trying to stay alive.

To match the visuals are mysterious sound effects and an atmospheric and cinematic score composed by Jean-Francois Freitas which matches the on-screen action perfectly. With no HUD and no Earth-based dialogue, the player is expected to rely on his wits and an appropriated laser gun to get Lester through his ordeal. While this approach can lead to moments of trial and error, I believe this is warranted as it truly immerses the player in Lester's situation, where he too has no idea what to do next or what his next step should be. Most games have an arrow or map to point the way. Another World just has instinct.

After a very short, but action-packed adventure, the ending arrives, usually a scant hour into play. To complain about the game's length is to miss the point, Another World isn't just like "a videogame" it's more of an experience, a cinematic tale of a man thrust into a horrifying situation and instantly taking steps to escape imminent danger so he can give himself space to get his head together and figure out what is going on.
He never will though, from the moment lightning hits his lab, a battle against the complete unknown is on and for all his knowledge, athleticism and education, Lester is doomed.

Eric Chahi created a masterpiece and he did it almost on his lonesome. Another World is one of those games that shows how vision and talent, properly applied, can combine to create something very special indeed.
Videogames couldn't be more cut and paste now. We need another Another World.