Land of Screens – Review
Our Score: 7/10
Holland starts on a new journey to shed the social media overload and discover some real-world relationships among a Land of Screens after her social media is set ablaze by a recent separation.
What is Land of Screens?
When a recent breakup lights Holland’s social media ablaze, she hopes to find some breathing room out in the real world. But as plugged-in as everyone is, it seems impossible that she’ll ever get a break. In Land of Screens, guide Holland on her new mission to ditch the social media saturation. And discover some real-world relationships by enlisting the help of a few new friends. Some synthy chiptune jams, and the inimitable chemistry of small children and adorable animals.
Put on your most ostentatious mixing hat and take on harrowingly familiar obstacles. Getting through an impromptu gathering with strangers or, worse, pals you haven’t seen since high school. Wandering through a hotel lobby. Trying to force awkward introductions with fellow conference participants. Making the most of last-minute concert arrangements, even if you’ve never heard of the band. Never visited the venue, and have never met any of the people you’ll be with family. Getting your friends enthused about performing nature-related activities. So that they may get others to do the same, so that you can all spend the day doing nature-related activities.
Stepping Away from the Land of Screens
Everyone is glued to their screens no matter where Holland travels to attempt to get away. To avoid the online frenzy and finally unplug for a bit, she’ll need the support of old friends and new acquaintances. And they’ll need her help. Holland might just have a fighting chance of avoiding the ever-present creep of social media turmoil. By diving (or stumbling) into new experiences, new relationships, and unplanned adventures.
Holland’s only path out of this breakup with her sanity intact is to become analog in a world obsessed with digital connections. Fortunately, she’ll soon discover how many exciting events await her outside of the constant social media chatter. Sure, she might obsess over an internet thread of people’s reactions to her breakup like everyone else but perhaps there’s a better approach.
Gameplay
Holland’s only path out of this breakup with her sanity intact is to become analog in a world obsessed with digital connections. Fortunately, she’ll soon discover how many exciting events await her outside of the constant social media chatter. Sure, she might obsess over an internet thread of people’s reactions to her breakup like everyone else, but perhaps there’s a better approach.
The game is organised into five chapters, with Holland’s goal being to get everyone to put down their devices and interact face to face in each one. This requires very little thought for some people.
Look and Feel
Land of Screens’ art style is unquestionably its best feature, but it might also be its only one. The game is designed in an appealing vector style with a semi-muted colour palette, and the imagery is mostly pleasing to the eye. But, to be honest, that’s all I have to say about the subject. The soundtrack, the tale, and the protagonist are all forgettable. This isn’t going to be a game that people will remember for a long time.
Final Verdict
Land of Screens tells an interesting story in this modern digital age. About how hard and challenging it can be to step away from the digital world completely. However, it isn’t the greatest storytelling or gameplay but nonetheless, a good message and experience.
