“B R U I S E S” by Stefan Srb.
“For three weeks now, you [were not] able to skate. Your board is still up in the ‘home’, a [self made] hideout in an abandoned industry building you and your friends use to skate. For three weeks now, it was just you and your thoughts. Barrages of the same thoughts over and over again. You [cannot] bear it. […] You have to [go get it].”
“B R U I S E S” starts with an introduction of the main character, which disleads the player for a minute: The protagonist tells us that they were not able to skate for the last three weeks. In the first moment I thought this is a story about an isolated person, who just desperately wants to escape a COVID-19 related quarantine or something like that. Very soon I discovered how wrong I was.
This short point and click adventure does not draw the picture of a rebellious stereotype teenager who does not want to handle responsibility. Actually, it asks the question how we handle the consequences of our actions and how we want to live with them, when everything feels pointless. To speak more figuratively and appropriate to the game’s title: Will we hide the scars and bruises that time has passed to us or will we wear them, if not with pride, then at least with dignity?
“B R U I S E S” is beautiful in its own way, not only because of the well selected color palette in combination with sweet pixel art. It tells a deeper story about friendship, memories and how we have to get over ourselves to move on. “Keep ridin’, bitches” – and do not forget to take care of each other. [PLAY]
