The Red Strings Club
- Gameplay: 2
- narrative: 3
- Style: 3
- Sound: 3
- Overall: 3
The Red Strings Club was a recommendation to me from ChatGPT after finishing The Roottrees are Dead. It is a game from 2018 that I did not recognize, which surprised me. After taking a look at the trailer, I thought I would give it a go. Albeit a short experience, it was a very rich one and one that I won't forget anytime soon.
What I Didn't Like
Scene Transitions
Being that this game is 7 years old already, I can imagine that the abrupt scene transitions are actually more of a bug. But when the location changes for the game, they are exceptionally abrupt.
Not a dealbreaker, but it definitely took me out of the moment whenever we transitioned.
Steam Achievement Bug
I played this on my Steam Deck, which didn't exist when this game was originally released. But it appears this bug has been consistent with all the Linux versions of the game since the beginning. Here are a couple of references in case you're hitting the same thing:
This didn't impact my gameplay experience, but it left me feeling a little salty that none of the achievements popped after spending so much time in the game.
What I Liked
The Style, Sound, and Feel
I started this game specifically looking for a game that "was not a sci-fi or cyberpunk" experience. I usually go for that type of world, but I wasn't feeling that.
That changed as soon as I saw The Red Strings Club. I really loved the pixel art, the sound design (for example, when the piano stops being played so the pianist can take a drink), and just the dark feeling
Gameplay Variety
Between the pottery, the bartending, the conversations, and the phone, there is a lot of variety in the gameplay. It was really necessary for a game this short. But it really worked for me. I like the huge variance in gameplay. It added to the immersion and I really enjoyed the change of pace.
Short Duration
For my first playthrough, this game took about 5 or 6 hours-- and I play games very slowly as I tend to overthink everything. It doesn't help anything that I'm also generally slow to pick up new game mechanics.
Ultimately, The Red Strings Club feels like it is as long as it needs to be. Compared to other games, it is a short experience, but it is fact that it is so short that encourages playing around with all the different decisions in the world.
Pacing
The game never really slows down. Just like the duration, everything lasts as long as it needs to last. For a bit you're in a conversation, then you can spice things up by pouring a drink. Once you're done in the bar, you get a change in scenery and different stakes beyond gathering information.
Every time it changed, it was unexpected, but also welcome. It kept me on my toes.
The more I think about it, the more it felt like I was "playing" a movie. Not like Indiana Jones, but more that I was controlling story while the director did their thing.
More narrative games should take note of The Red Strings Club for pacing. They nailed it.
The Ending
This section started out as a "What I Wish" portion, where I wished for an alternate secret ending. But after thinking about it, the game ends exactly how it needs to end.
The truth is, I loved the ending. Do I wish I had more options? Yes. But I respect what it is, because I think if you gave the player multiple endings it would cheapen the experience as a whole.
It is what it is for a reason, and I can appreciate that.
The Conclusion
The Red Strings Club is a great experience. A complete surprise, and a great palette cleanser after the Rootrees burn out situation.
This game has changed my perspective on how gameplay and blend with narrative-focused experiences. I have always appreciated the medium of video games for the interactive story-telling only video games can deliver. But The Red Strings Club somehow managed to create a narrative-focused experience that isn't just a visual novel, but rather a playable movie.
Great experience. Definitely left an imprint.