Summary

Release Year: 2014
Genres: Indie
Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows)
Developers: Strategy First
Publishers: Freegamer

Hippocampal: The White Sofa – A Satirical Contemplation on Gaming and Life

Hippocampal: The White Sofa is a 2014 first-person exploration game developed by Tangentlemen and published by The Irregular Corporation. The game is set in a surreal, dreamlike world where the player character, a man named Howard, must navigate through a series of increasingly bizarre and nonsensical environments.

Hippocampal is a satirical game that pokes fun at the tropes and conventions of video games, as well as the broader culture of consumerism and celebrity worship. The game’s title is a reference to the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is involved in memory and navigation. This is fitting, as the game is as much about exploring the player’s own memories and subconscious as it is about navigating the game world.

The game begins with Howard waking up on a white sofa in a strange and unfamiliar room. He soon discovers that he has lost his memory, and he must piece together his past by exploring the game world and talking to the strange characters he meets along the way.

As Howard explores, he encounters a variety of bizarre and nonsensical situations. He meets a talking cat, a giant floating head, and a group of people who are all obsessed with a reality TV show. He also finds himself in a number of surreal environments, such as a world made entirely of food and a world where the laws of physics don’t apply.

Through these encounters, Howard begins to question his own identity and his place in the world. He realizes that he is not the hero that he always thought he was, and that he is just as flawed and ridiculous as everyone else.

Hippocampal is a challenging and thought-provoking game that will stay with you long after you finish playing. It is a game that is both funny and sad, and it offers a unique perspective on the human condition.

Gameplay

Hippocampal: The White Sofa is a first-person exploration game. The player controls Howard as he explores a surreal, dreamlike world. The game is played from a first-person perspective, and the player uses the mouse to look around and the keyboard to move.

The game’s world is divided into a series of levels, each of which is themed around a different aspect of Howard’s life. The levels are all interconnected, and the player can explore them in any order.

As Howard explores, he will encounter a variety of strange and nonsensical characters. He will also find a number of objects that he can interact with. These objects can be used to solve puzzles, or they can simply be used to add to the game’s surreal atmosphere.

The game’s puzzles are all relatively simple, but they can be challenging to solve because of the game’s often nonsensical logic. For example, in one puzzle, the player must use a key to open a door, but the key is actually a banana.

Themes

Hippocampal: The White Sofa is a game about memory, identity, and the meaning of life. The game’s protagonist, Howard, is a man who has lost his memory, and he must piece together his past by exploring the game world and talking to the strange characters he meets along the way.

As Howard explores, he begins to question his own identity and his place in the world. He realizes that he is not the hero that he always thought he was, and that he is just as flawed and ridiculous as everyone else.

The game’s title is a reference to the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is involved in memory and navigation. This is fitting, as the game is as much about exploring the player’s own memories and subconscious as it is about navigating the game world.

Hippocampal is a game that is both funny and sad, and it offers a unique perspective on the human condition. It is a game that will stay with you long after you finish playing.

Reception

Hippocampal: The White Sofa received positive reviews from critics. The game was praised for its unique and thought-provoking gameplay, its surreal and dreamlike atmosphere, and its satirical humor.

The game was also a commercial success, selling over 100,000 copies worldwide.

Legacy

Hippocampal: The White Sofa is a unique and influential game that has left a lasting legacy on the video game industry. The game’s surreal and dreamlike atmosphere, its satirical humor, and its thought-provoking themes have all been praised by critics and players alike.

The game has also been cited as an influence on a number of other games, including The Stanley Parable and Undertale.

Hippocampal: The White Sofa is a game that is truly one-of-a-kind. It is a game that will stay with you long after you finish playing, and it is a game that will continue to be influential for years to come.