Grayson Morley
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Writing For
PolygonLatest Reviews
Yet, while Europa is not a game I can recommend without some reservations, what I admire most about it is its unwillingness to square the circle of its gameplay and narrative dissonances. Having seen where the story lands, I can safely say the contrast is not unintentional on the part of the developers. And while I do find myself personally bristling at the more hopeful inclinations, I admire the fact that, to the end, Europa asks you to decide for yourself what you think of all this. It’s a brave game that gives over such thematic decisions to its player rather than beating them over the head with a desired interpretation. Europa might be the spa music of post-apocalyptic games, but its relaxation asks a deeper question: Do we deserve a greener world? And, if not, how might we change ourselves so that we fit into that greener utopia of which we’ve dreamed so long?
So, anyway, yeah, Rollerdrome is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater with a gun, but it’s also a commentary on the capacity of violent entertainment to dull our senses to the violence in our actual lives. Good luck remembering that when you’re chasing an S-rank score.