Name of game, creator, platform
I played the indie game Babbdi by Lemaitre Bros on Steam for this week’s critical reflection.
Target Audience
I would say the target audience of the game is for mature audiences. I felt that a lot of the imagery and music in the game created an eerie vibe that maybe would not be super appropriate for younger audiences. 
For example, the photo above is one of the first NPCs you see in the game. His head is on backwards and also is devoid of any strict facial features.
Important Formal Elements of the game
The game occurs in the town of Babbdi. The town is mostly abandoned except for a few NPCs. The game is a single player game where the player can walk around the world of Babbdi. As you explore the town, you learn that your goal is to leave. Different characters will reveal new information of ways to escape Babbdi. Players can also find tools that augment the way they manipulate the world around them. Aside from the objective of leaving Babbdi, there are few concrete rules or objectives.
Analysis
As a result, the walking mechanic creates an open world dynamic that results in a discovery aesthetic. Throughout my playthrough of Babbdi, I enjoyed walking around and completing the platforming obstacles to discover more about the world. After a while, I got stuck so I took it upon myself to escape Babbdi by going out of bounds. Ultimately, I escaped into the ocean surrounding the town and got softlocked. 
While I never actually accomplished the goal of escaping Babbdi by train, I still had fun breaking the game and still think I technically completed the objective. Being able to explore the game through the walking mechanic successfully created a fun discovery aesthetic. If I were to change a few things about the game, I would include slightly more tutorial elements without taking away too much from the open world dynamic. For example, the pickaxe tool has a sign showing how the tool can be used. It would have been nice to have gotten similar instructions for the club or other tools. Additionally, I would make the map easier to find earlier. The map is found in the train station bathroom. Making the map available earlier in the game would allow the player to feel less lost during their play through of the game.
