The Indie Informer

I’ve played Phonopolis for right around three hours, and suspect there’s not much more to run through. I’ve been keeping an eye on this title for years now, so I eagerly booted it up when I received the code. Its world is both beautiful and eerily echoes today’s political landscape, making it a poignant experience. My enthusiasm as I near the end, though its art is no less stunning and its setting continuously witty, has been cooling. The puzzles, which are creative and varied, also tend towards being obtuse and, therefore, frustrating. Still, it’s hard not to recommend.

Our hero in this authoritarian world isn’t a conscientious protestor or high-status political double agent; it’s just a goofy little dude. One who believes everything the powers that be have told him and never thought to rebel against the system. His downfall — literally and figuratively — comes about by not particularly feeling like working. I can’t think of a more relatable protagonist.

Completely by accident, Felix (which means lucky, humorously) discovers a pair of noise-canceling headphones. With them on, he’s no longer controlled by the blaring loudspeakers that shout commands, from sunup to sundown, to everyone in the city, telling them everything they should do in their lives. What does he do with this freeing silence? He just chooses to take a break from work. The apt and dominating metaphor of the speakers tightly dictating the populace is a great foil to this unambitious figure who would soon become enemy number one just for using his free will to take his fifteen.

This dynamic is a constantly pleasing througline, with both villainous enforcers and unwitting hero being somewhat inept. And all of this taking place on top of a striking and minimalist stage only increases my enjoyment.

Unfortunately, all of these feelings are put on hold during a handful of the game’s puzzles. Some are quick, thoughtful, and fun to figure out. One of my favorites involves wreaking havoc on a couple enjoying an evening at home by using the commanding speakers for my own advantage. However, far too many leave me unsure, as the game wants a very specific answer that I feel like I solved in another way. It can be tedious discovering I spent so long on an issue because I just didn’t have this one thing click instead of this other thing.

Despite this, I want to see the end of Felix’s journey to ensure Phonopolis‘ heartless, soulless regime gets what’s coming to it.