I played an hour of The Room on my phone for my critical play analysis. The Room is a puzzle mystery video game created by Fireproof Studios and is available on PC and mobile platforms. The target audience is players ages 9+ who enjoy intricate puzzles, atmospheric storytelling, and slower-paced games that reward patience and problem-solving. The game offers a mysterious and eerie ambiance as players engage in tactile gameplay to uncover a series of secrets and hidden messages.
Central Argument
In The Room, the narrative is intricately woven through both emergent and embedded storytelling techniques. The emergent narrative is driven by the player’s interactions with the environment, in which solving puzzles and manipulating objects slowly reveals more of the story. Puzzle-solving and storytelling coincide with each other. Additionally, embedded narrative is tied to the game’s structure. The objects within the room offer a predefined set of puzzles that move the story forward. This structure, such as needing a key to unlock a cabinet, maintains a linear narrative while giving players the freedom to explore different elements at their own pace. The architecture of the setting controls the flow of the narrative—with certain spaces in the room restricted until certain objects or secrets are discovered, or a necessary point in the story has been reached. Chapters throughout the room measure progress and support the notion of a predefined story designed within the game.
Analysis, Learning, Evidence
The Room is a great example of emergent narrative, due to the slow revelation of the story as players interact with objects within the room. One of many examples is when I tried to interact with an intricate box on a table. The box had several parts that I was able to explore, such as turning dials, pressing buttons, or uncovering cryptic messages. My interactions revealed small pieces of the narrative in the form of clues or symbols. The story progressed as I pieced them together to solve the puzzle. The game doesn’t simply tell the story through cutscenes or dialogue; it instead allows it to emerge through my actions. Each puzzle I solved or cryptic message I decoded led to the next immediate level of puzzles to investigate. This style of narrative kept me engaged—I felt that my actions were integral to uncovering the secrets behind the mysterious box.
I also experienced elements of embedded narrative through the game’s deliberate linear structure. Although I was free to explore the environment and interact with various objects at my will, there were many restrictions on what I could see, and thus restrictions on advancing the story. This design is intentional, as the designers intended for the story to progress through a predefined path. It might take players longer than others to complete the story, depending on their interaction choices and puzzle-solving speed, but the narrative still unfolds in a controlled way. One form of evidence is the presence of chapters, which mark progress in both the story and puzzle-solving. Overall, the embedded narrative structure ensures that the overall storyline remains coherent and structured, even though players have some flexibility in how they interact with the world.
Ethics
The Room has several accessibility barriers, especially for players with motor impairments or visual disabilities. Puzzles require precise manipulation of objects, such as turning dials, pressing buttons, and sliding levers, which could pose difficulties for players with limited dexterity. Also, the small text and intricate visual details could be challenging for players with visual impairments.
The game offers a zoom feature, which allows players to closely inspect objects and details. While this feature does somewhat help, the game still heavily relies on visual ability and fine motor skills to see and interact with objects. The PC and mobile versions of the game do not offer accessibility control options, and I believe that an audio component that reads messages or refined control over zoom could be integrated to help. After researching accessibility cases for The Room, I came across a newer VR version of the game that incorporates more accessible design. According to this article, the VR version allows players to play “tailored for complete accessibility regardless of ability.” Players can complete the game from a seated position, without needing to reach high or crouch low. This VR version also scales up the gameplay medium, moving away from the small screen and the need for fine motor movements.
