Mosaic

Mosaic’s point may become obvious before its final reveal which, itself, isn’t free of predictability and a sense of being slightly cliché. However, the means through which it gets there, the power of the established routine, the depressing revelations of medication meant to push workers to maximum productivity while disregarding their actual health, and the often surprising perspectives its surreal bits throw you into more than make up for it. It’s a harrowing yet also enchanting four-hour journey through a world where in spite of the number of people physically close to one another, isolatio...

One of the rarest narratives in video games are the ones that disempower the player. Games are a form of escapism, power fantasies, it’s a world where we can feel like we are in control. In Mosaic, you play as a nobody, an insignificant employee of a gigantic corporation. No strengths, no disabilities, nothing stands out about you. Not rich, not poor, living paycheque to paycheque, existing with the goal of paying next month’s rent. Developed by the Norwegian indie studio Krillbite, Mosaic is best described as a walking simulator (can we please come up with a new name for this genre?). Through...

Still, this is the beauty of Mosaic; it’s not just another tale made up for storytelling impact. These are feelings and situations I felt empathy with and that are a current problem within our world today. It’s great to see more developers wanting to go down this route when creating games and wanting to make a difference. I’d be surprised that when the end credits roll on Mosaic, you wouldn’t want to change even the smallest details of your own life for the better.

Mosaic might only last a few hours, but within that time it has moments that can stick with you, bring you joy amidst the monotony of everyday life. There's a message here to say that there is always a glimmer of hope even if it isn't always obvious, which is a good message to send. Plus, there's a talking goldfish.

Mosaic isn't always great, but it's a fun and lovely game that manages to hold attention easily enough. Also it has Blip Blop.

Anyone who has worked in an office job day in and day out can attest to just how boring it can be. The daily grind can wear you down and even getting up in the morning can seem like a chore. There have been plenty of games in the past to touch on the tedious nature of office work, like The Office Quest, which looks at it in hilarious and comical way. Then there’s Mosaic from Krillbite Studio and Raw Fury, which takes a much darker approach at looking into the mundane world of big city living.

Modern life is rubbish in this indie adventure about monotony and the daily grind.