“Gacha” by Zhiming Chen & Jewell Popp.
“Open a gachapon and see where life takes you! […] [A] cute, [cozy] game that takes the player through snapshots of a coming-of-age experience. There are many collectible toys to unlock and experiences to discover[.]”
To use a gashapon machine to tell a coming-of-age story like “Gacha” does might occur as an unusual way of storytelling. But the concept itself is actually very effective and fitting, if you think about it: We need to invest time and energy to reach certain points in our life just as we need to invest money to get a new gachapon. However, even when you try to plan ahead, you might not always get the outcome you desire. After all, making a life-changing decision is often just a gamble, too.
You will not get all collectibles in “Gacha” on your first try, because your amount of coins is pretty limited. But – and that i where the metaphor does not work anymore – you always have the chance to try again and therefore to complete your collection. So figure out yourself if you and your best childhood friend will stay connected in the future or where you will move to or what happens to your dream of becoming an indie game developer. There are many little storylines to explore in this wholesome, beautifully designed game. Hopefully this jam entry will remind you that the most valuable currency you have in your life is time itself, so use it wisely. >>PLAY
