Craeplay’s MOTE: Workshop is a 10-minute walking-simulator that offers an easy, low-cost Platinum trophy but not much else. At least it knows not to overstay its welcome.
Using typical first-person controls, the only verbs are move and jump. Unfortunately, there is no option to swap the Y axis so inverters like me will annoyingly struggle with basic movement. However, the actionless narrative is so short it sort of doesn’t matter.
The point of this game is the story which is presented through voice-in-your-head dialog that triggers when you move over certain parts of the environment. I guess you are the son of a woodshop owner, and it is sort of implied that your father might have built a futuristic alien device. You know, because it is possible to build sophisticated teleporters out of wood, everyone knows that!
The ridiculous story isn’t the strangest part, however. It is never shown or explained, but you basically play as a mouse as the camera perspective is so low to the ground. The entire game takes place in one open-concept workshop, but you start on a shelf high above the ground. Then you slowly work your way around the perimeter, triggering dialog segments along the way. There is no way to fall and no branching paths so you can only go one way. Eventually you will make your way to the ground level where you are free to explore but there are only a couple set pieces. It is easy to determine where you need to go because the glowing purple thing in the middle of the stage is the only thing of color in the drab environment.
Made in Unreal 5, the entire game takes place within a wooden world. The floors are wood. Platforms are wood. The cabin walls are wood. Everything is dark brown except for the end point in the middle of the room and the spinning gold coins. For some reason, the player can optionally collect a few gold coins to earn a Trophy. Why are gold coins floating and spinning in a wood cabin? Why is that one gold coin super huge? Why do these coins look like a general asset from another game and shoehorned into the high-res Unreal textured environment? The juxtaposition between these odd collectables and the rest of the game is jarring. Further, to collect the biggest coin and get the last trophy, you need to walk over an invisible platform, something the game doesn’t explain, define, or hint. In other words, nothing in this game makes any sense. Why are you playing as mouse? Why can’t you jump down ledges? Why is there a voice in the player’s head?
I applaud MOTE: Workshop for trying something a little different but there is no fun or replay value in this brief and nonsensical quest. Unless you are a trophy hunter, there is little reason to slowly walk through this empty workshop without an option to invert the camera, sprint, or be entertained.
SCORE: 3/10
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
X/Twitter: @ZackGaz
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