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- Way Down Deep
- Way Down Deep
- Way Down Deep
- Way Down Deep
Land of Screens
Released On: Feb 4, 2022
57
User Score
Available after 4 ratings
tbd
All Platforms
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 5 Critic Reviews
57
20% Positive
1 Review
1 Review
60% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
20% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 5 Critic Reviews
57
20% Positive
1 Review
1 Review
60% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
20% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Land of Screens may not be the longest game you’ll ever play, but it’s one that, if you let it, has the potential to have the longest impact. Every level has something that will resonate with someone, driving home the point that maybe, just maybe, being terminally online isn’t the way to live life. With cute visuals, soothing audio, casual gameplay, and a tiny price tag, Land of Screens takes a tired conversation that is oft ignored and repackages it to offer an obvious but fair lesson. Skip on the screen time, but don’t skip on Land of Screens.
There are definitely people out there who could get a lot out of Land of Screens. Maybe they too are struggling with themselves after a breakup. Or maybe they are having a bad time with social media. I get it. I’ve felt those feelings. But nothing about the Land of Screens brought me to a personal catharsis. I can see where the developers are coming from, but they did not convey their message in a way that applied to me. With a more interesting execution, perhaps this could have been an exciting, moving indie narrative. As it stands though, there are better things you can do with your screens than play Land of Screens.
Ultimately, it is these interactions that could have elevated the game and provided more emotional depth if they were leaned into a bit harder. Rather than spend so much time forcing background characters off their phones, it would have been compelling to explore more of Holland's internal narrative and relationships with her family, slightly estranged friends, and her potential new love interest. So much time was spent walking around, showing others the light rather than basking in that warm glow ourselves, a choice that would have made the game more impactful. Land of Screens ultimately feels like a predictable-yet-endearing Netflix romcom--though think more Love Hard rather than Someone Great.
Land of Screens is far too one-note for its own good, repeatedly hammering the message that screens are pure evil. Its heart is in the right place, but its execution leaves something to be desired.
Ultimately, Land of Screens may serve as a helpful reminder for a few players, but most people already know that it’s important to look up from their devices sometimes. As a non-developer, it’s difficult to see how Serenity Forge could have relayed its message in a more engaging manner, but there are developers who have successfully sneaked a societal call to action into their games. This is usually accomplished by focusing on gameplay first and sprinkling the message throughout for people to uncover themselves. Instead, Serenity Forge has made the entirety of Land of Screens about the message and only marginally concentrated on anything else. This has resulted in a flat experience that lacks the ability to inspire.
User Reviews
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Summary When Holland’s social media is lit ablaze by a recent breakup, she embarks on a new mission to ditch the social media saturation and discover some real-world relationships. When a recent breakup lights Holland’s social media ablaze, she hopes to find some breathing room out in the real world—but as plugged-in as everyone is, it seems imp...
Platforms:
- PC
- Nintendo Switch
Initial Release Date: Feb 4, 2022
Developer:
- Serenity Forge
Publisher: Way Down Deep
Genres:
