Every Day the Same Dream
December 21st, 2009
A new game from Paolo Pedercini, “Every Day the Same Dream” is a beautiful game with a very bleak outlook (perhaps partially belied by its restrained color scheme). Parts of it seem like a grim view on the 50’s, while other parts remind me of a bleaker version of my last gig.
From the Artist
“Every day the same dream” is a slightly existential riff on the theme of alienation and refusal of labor. The idea was to charge the cyclic nature of most video games with some kind of meaning (i.e. the “play again” is not a game over). Yes, there is an end state, you can “beat” the game.
Made in about 6 days: 3 code + 3 content + 1 making crappy drones with an electric guitar (alternate soundtrack that didn’t make into the final game).
Play
You can play the game: HERE
The game can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
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47 Comments, Comment or Ping
lets argue about what the meaning is
December 21st, 2009
pretty strange and depressing game but its really interesting never the less.
ok for argument and for deepness sake ill say this game is about social alienation and well.. a depressing take of life’s daily grind.
December 21st, 2009
Interesting “game”, I enjoyed it. But I dont agree that this game has no game over. Its a puzzle and as long as there is no solving of the puzzle of course there is no game over…there cant be. The game is over when you quit playing it, like any puzzle. So I would not call this a GAME…its more like an interactive puzzle. Anyhow its great, I just wish it left more of a message.
December 22nd, 2009
by the way…this is stuff that the film medium can only dream about doing or asking of people….
Video Games are higher form of art than any film can dream of. Most films ask people to be vegatables for 2 hours.
December 22nd, 2009
Pretty amazing. @Cupofjoe – there is an end to this game. You’re right, it does have a puzzle element to it, in fact there are 5 to solve. Once you do that the ending is revealed.
December 22nd, 2009
This is the only time in my life i was genuinly chilled to the bone by a video game or movie. This, this is a true art game.
December 22nd, 2009
Fantastic… the drab psychedelic feel and music is perfect. I feel this sort of expression can be taken to a much broader scope… expressing the authors message/ideas through the audience actively engaging in the task of figuring out what that message is; seems it would have a greater impact on the audience than just passively experiencing the ideas the author is trying to convey. Very inspirational work, thanks… made my day
December 22nd, 2009
Wow I gotta say, the ending wasn’t anything like I would’ve imagined from this. Kudos :)
December 26th, 2009
clearly this is absolutley brilliant.
I do find the idea rather bleak and depressing though. It would have been nice if there had been a way to make life worth living :)
great stuff anway!
December 26th, 2009
awesome:)
December 27th, 2009
Great, now I’m depressed again. -_-
December 29th, 2009
Th’ fantastic Mr Pedercini strikes again.!
Day 2: Went to work in my undies and lost my job so back home to smoke some of the black hash that my wife kept cookin’ up. Watched some Paul Sharits videos and had a staring contest with her / and lost. So later stood in front of th’ window in my jocks, lost my shit and became one with th’ nature outside before headin’ out commando to explore ..
Day 3: Went back to work again to get my shit but everybody was absorbed playing this cool new “Passage” game for some strange reason. So decided to skive on th’ morrow and hang with the missus. Bliss. Some kinda Derek Jarman film on the box as well. All tomorrow’s parodies can wait ..
–
Seriously though great stuff, it really struck a chord emotionally and the music fits well. You seem to have a really keen sense of narrative flow in the Molleindustria games I’ve played so far and “Every Day” just takes it a bit further w/ this subtle looping structure. Look forward to seeing where you go next with your ideas ..!
— Chuan
December 29th, 2009
I helped the homeless person, I petted the cow and caught the leaf, but there are no more options, oh and I went to work in my underwear! that one cost me my job, but whats left!
January 3rd, 2010
I love the game, the puzzle the mind bender! its great
January 3rd, 2010
@Glenn Jackson
Suicide. Go to work, pass your cubicle, exit to the terrace (safety exit, in green, in the same screen of your cubicle), then jump.
January 11th, 2010
Nice :)
January 13th, 2010
I loved this game, hopefully it’s gone on to make a whole bunch of people rethink their day to day existence or at least wake them up to the possibilities contained therein
January 16th, 2010
great work!
January 22nd, 2010
The game from Paolo Pedercini, “Every Day the Same Dream” is soo good. It is easy to understand and it can be viewed easily. This post gives me energy to boost up me to make the games interesting.
February 9th, 2010
Wow, some of you really got excited.
It’s a decent game, but there really isn’t a grand statement being made here folks. I found the actual ending disappointing , considering that you can jump off the building at the very beginning, before you even go to the cemetary.
Neat game to be sure, and very impressive that it was pulled off in 6 days. But it’s a riff on death of a salesman people, not a landmark piece of art.
March 11th, 2010
It’s really just great. I wish more people would get the chance to “play” this game to overthink their own lives.
March 31st, 2010
It’s not bad, great work put into it and good pacing. My biggest criticism is that the artsy part of it can instill the same emotional sensations just by being a walkthrough. The gameplay is not experimental, but the story/setting/idea is well executed. A great Art Game to be sure. :)
April 5th, 2010
The game does have a “win” feature — and it reset completely (back to the splash screens) once you’ve discovered it. I’m surprised by the community’s puerility in this. Does anybody even remember the Myst series? Cyan Worlds? Those puzzles required far more effort than this, people.
April 16th, 2010
well that was depressing… it ended with you watching yourself jump off a building… uhhh… not sure how to respond to this one.
July 7th, 2010
I got the alien ending on my second playthrough; Woot!
But seriously, good job. I liked the toying with the users available options. Kind of an exploration game about hopelessness.
July 13th, 2010
Amazing & Clever. I take note ;)
September 5th, 2010
Love the music. It makes me wanna get up and see what life’s gonna bring me today…
October 21st, 2010
I was kind of shocked when you were able to just up sticks and jump off a building – in this kind of respect it’s a bleak game; a kind of colourless, game-version of Falling Down. I would love to see this game expanded and lengthened to encompass more plot and allow for varied endings, etc.
July 5th, 2011
This is just a really neat piece of programming.
January 4th, 2012
crap
February 11th, 2012
Russell has a very good point on this one. It’s cool to see a dev take a theme and run with it like on this one!
July 2nd, 2013
For anyone that needs help, here are the five events for the ending;
1. Commit Suicide at Work (pass all the cubicles and go off the edge of the building)
2. Get Taken to the Cemetery
(after the elevator, go left and talk to the homeless man)
3. Catch the Leaf
(wait for it to fall in front of the work building)
4. Pet a cow (when you’re in your car, get out and go left into a pasture)
and 5. Go to work without getting dressed (pass the wardrobe without pushing space and go to work)
For the ending; Go to work and go past all the cubicles to the edge of the building.
November 19th, 2013
I cry when i play it. It is an awesome game that really can talk about our daily life. And i hope you guys can produce more this type of game.
May 30th, 2014
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