Closure is a 2009 Flash game by Tyler Glaiel. You can play it here
. The idea behind the game is simple enough: a platformer where only illuminated areas are solid. Of course, a simple concept doesn't necessarily mean simple puzzles, and it shows. Featuring moving lamps, teleporting light orbs and lights that dim when approached; it should be no surprise that completing this game's thirty levels is harder than it seems at first.
Dynamic music and a distinct graphical style help in creating an oppressive, dark mood. The story is told completely without dialogue: your only hints are the background drawings and writing on the walls – and even then, you're left completely in the dark until the very last level of the game.
A full version of the game was also released on Playstation 3 in 2012. Unlike a human-like figure, this version has a strange 4-legged and 2-armed creature as a protagonist who changes shape depending on the chapter. First chapter includes man with a weird helmet in a mine/factory, the second features a woman in a forest and a hospital and the third one features a child in a carnival. The storyline is only hinted by the drawings as well but this time there are no writings on the wall.
Now available on Steam!
This game provides examples of:
- Blackout Basement: The major mechanic of the game.
- Crate Expectations: Crates are meant to be pushed and climbed on in this game.
- Credits Medley: In Playstation 3 version.
- Deliberately Monochrome: Newgrounds version only uses black and white color. Playstation 3 has some dark shades of gray in between.
- Eldritch Location: Especially in Playstation 3 version.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Sort of. Your character has a ponytail throughout the entire game, but you only see its shadow until the final level.
- Fake Difficulty: The game doesn't tell you what different orbs or lamppost do, forcing the player to figure it out on their own. In other words, you have to die a few times before you get it.
- Hope Spot: "I've had enough."
- Hollywood Darkness: Averted. Where there's no light, there's nothing at all.
- Hub Level: In the full version, there are chapter and level select areas.
- Mental World: From which you try to escape.
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Nintendo Hard - Room Full of Crazy: Level 28. The Shout Outs to other artgames could be seen as spoiling the mood a bit...
- Shout-Out: In the carnival area level 6, a shelf of prizes include characters from Snapshot, The Basement Collection, and the Newgrounds tank, among others.
- Story Breadcrumbs: Majority of the story is told through background illustrations in levels.
- Super Not-Drowning Skills: The protagonist in Playstation 3 version although it may be justified as the character is not entirely a human.
- Trial-and-Error Gameplay: As stated above, some things can take a few deaths to figure out.
- Variable Mix: In Playstation 3 version, the music slows down while being under water.
