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In addition, you can interact with areas in the maquette that are unreachable in the world. That also works in reverse to make objects smaller. The gist is you can take a cube from the world, drop it in the maquette and a massive cube will drop in the same spot in the world. It’s a relatively straightforward concept best explained by seeing it. You can use the maquette to alter the size or placement of objects you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. There is an identical maquette of the world you are in. A small scale model features as the focal point throughout. Screenshot: Maquetteįrom a gameplay standpoint, Maquette takes after its name. It’s no surprise that Annapurna Interactive, which might still be more known for its Annapurna Pictures film division, published this because they’ve been on a roll in terms of selecting high-quality indie games. Video games have started to explore this more in recent years, but Maquette comes closer in tone than most. Hearing an ordinary, relatable couple go through the struggles of a relationship with the backing of an indie soundtrack is an entire genre of movies. That didn’t maintain throughout, but by the end I felt like I just watched Garden State or some other similar movie. In the first half or so, seeing more of their story was a great reason to push forward through the puzzles.
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There are a few cuter, more subtle interactions that are the connective tissue of a relationship. It’s not just a collection of best of moments either. Everyone will be thinking “been there” at various points. Some of the memories are relatively mundane, but they show the relationship in a relatable way. The gameplay scenes sometimes mimic a story moment as well. Drawing was foundational in their relationship, so the closest thing Maquette has to cut scenes are drawn depictions of important moments for the couple. Howard and Gabel deliver most of the story through voice only. Both have notable screen acting careers, although she is probably most famous at the moment for being one of the directors for The Mandalorian. The story follows the relationship of Kenzie, voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard, and Michael, voiced by her real-life husband Seth Gabel.
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The gameplay has its peaks and valleys, but the atmosphere and story really stand out. That’s not what I was expecting, but it’s a heck of a way to set the mood. In the opening scene you’re dropped into a courtyard with a dark blue filter and “San Franciscan Nights” by Gabor Szabo and the California Dreamers is playing.
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