Monday, October 5, 2020

Equal-librium: IFcomp 2020

Equal-librium: Lion & Mouse? is a take on social critique by Ima, and it does not waste any effort on subtlety.

This entry is fast-paced and dense with information, trying to create the sense of a large, dramatic event unfolding rapidly. Unfortunately, the pacing meant I had trouble following the story closely. You are the CEO of "Forest Capital," which is some kind of investment firm.

This entry uses attention-grabbing text effects in key places. They're used in moderation to successfully contribute a feeling of urgency.

On my first playthrough, I treated people with decency and respect. That approach seemed to provide a "good" ending. When I played through as a self-dealing jerk, I arrived at a terrible ending. When I tried to play the middle of the road, the story stalled with an incoming call from Vicent, the board director. I was unable to proceed beyond that point.

I expected this entry to unpack the controversy around stakeholder capitalism and the newfound corporate interest in Ethics, Sustainability, and Governance. Instead, it appeared to focus on executive corruption, setting the past actions and motivations of the character based on the present choices made by the player.

Ultimately, this scenario did not hold much appeal for me. I have abandoned my dreams of becoming a CEO — I am not a sociopath, which makes me unlikely to hold such a position.

I'm concerned that I might have missed a nuanced take on social critique in this entry. I don't understand who is supposed to be the intended audience, but I hope they find it. 

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