Summary
- Release Year: 2014
- Genres: Adventure, Indie, Puzzle
- Platforms: Mac, PC (Microsoft Windows)
- Developers: JonnyWallace
- Publishers: JonnyWallace
The Cow Flew Over the Moon: A Dreamlike Adventure into the Subconscious
Introduction
The Cow Flew Over the Moon (CFO) is a first-person experimental adventure game released in 2014. Developed by indie studio Lunar Giant, CFO is a surreal and dreamlike experience that uses level design and environmental storytelling to explore the themes of dreams, memory, and interpretation.
Gameplay
CFO is a short game, clocking in at around 15 minutes, but it is densely packed with symbolism and hidden meanings. The player character awakens in a dark and mysterious forest, with no memory of how they got there. As they explore the forest, they encounter a series of strange and seemingly disconnected events, such as a cow flying in the sky, a house that appears to be made of gingerbread, and a group of children playing a game of tag.
The player is given no explicit instructions or objectives, and the game’s narrative is left intentionally vague. Instead, the player is encouraged to explore the environment and piece together the story for themselves. By inspecting objects, reading notes, and listening to the ambient sounds, the player can gradually uncover the hidden secrets of the forest and the player character’s past.
Level Design
One of the most striking things about CFO is its level design. The forest is a labyrinthine and ever-changing environment, with hidden paths and secret areas that can be discovered by observant players. The game’s levels are designed to be both beautiful and disorienting, reflecting the dreamlike nature of the narrative.
The forest is also filled with symbolism. The cow flying in the sky, for example, can be interpreted as a symbol of freedom and escape. The gingerbread house can be seen as a symbol of childhood and innocence. And the children playing tag can be seen as a symbol of the carefree days of summer.
Narrative
The narrative of CFO is deliberately ambiguous and open to interpretation. The player is never given a clear explanation of what happened to the player character or why they are in the forest. Instead, the player is left to piece together the story for themselves, based on the clues that are scattered throughout the environment.
This open-ended approach to storytelling is one of the things that makes CFO so unique. It allows the player to bring their own experiences and interpretations to the game, and to create their own personal meaning from the story.
Themes
CFO explores a number of mature and thought-provoking themes, including dreams, memory, and interpretation. The game’s dreamlike atmosphere and surreal imagery can be seen as a metaphor for the subconscious mind, where our deepest fears and desires are hidden.
The game also raises questions about the nature of memory and how we construct our own personal narratives. The player character’s fragmented memories of their past can be seen as a metaphor for the way that we all remember our own lives, selectively editing and shaping our memories to create a coherent narrative.
Finally, CFO is a game about interpretation. The game’s open-ended narrative and symbolism allow the player to create their own meaning from the story. There is no one “correct” interpretation of CFO, and the game’s meaning will vary depending on the individual player’s experiences and beliefs.
Conclusion
The Cow Flew Over the Moon is a unique and thought-provoking experimental adventure game. Its dreamlike atmosphere, surreal imagery, and open-ended narrative will appeal to fans of games that challenge the traditional boundaries of storytelling. CFO is a game that will stay with you long after you finish playing it, and it is sure to provoke discussion and debate among players.
Review Score
8/10
Art
Cover Art
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