Every so often, there comes an indie game that tries to do something a little out of the ordinary. Talent Not Included is an action platformer, which seems simple enough, but there is a twist in that all the action is in the form of a stage play. This twist makes this game one of the most unique indie platformers out there.
The game takes full advantage of its settings, moving from location to location is done in the form of a stage transition. This is a really cool twist on screen transitions in video games, and helps both bring you further into the game and at the same time, be taken out of it in a meta way. That’s not to say the game is easy, oh my no. This is a very hard platformer, although it tricks you by starting out easy enough.
What gives this game more of a unique flair is how it takes the different acts of a play and applies it to a video game, by having each act have a different playable character. This was a cool take on not just the three act set up but also video game tropes in general. Each character has their own motivation for doing what they do, and while it isn’t the best story in a game, it serves its purpose very well.
The music in this game is excellent, but I feel it could have been better by being more involved and giving you a sense of being in a theatre. Its good for what it is, but it feels light. The game’s visual design is amazing and really ties into the theatre motif by having your progression in each scene ( the levels in each act) cause the terrain to shift as if on a wheel.
Do I think this is a game worth checking out? I think so. Its got a lot of potential for enjoyment and has a good unique hook. It is definitely worth a few hours of play.