Virginia - Melancholy, mischievous, marvellous.
Most games simply try to be fun, to be entertaining, to do as much as it takes to wow you without ever going much beyond that. Virginia is different, in the best possible way, as it seeks to form an emotional connection with what you're seeing, doing and experiencing though the game. Sure it's also entertaining and fun, but it succeeds in putting forth a wonderful story full of intrigue and subtext without any flashy tricks. It's a pared down, expertly crafted experience. And all the better for it.
To get down to brass tacks I suppose you could say it's a "walking simulator" (a genre some people seem to take offence to) mixed with an adventure game. Certainly you do a lot of walking, grabbing of objects and clues, as you navigate the scenes you find yourself in, but it also feels like much more than that. This is more of an interactive movie, as if it were populated by your favourite actors who are purely there to make you feel at ease.
Part of that is down to the fact this is clearly a game inspired by the X-Files and Twin Peaks, a nugget the developers are happy to admit. So while you are ostensibly playing the part of a new FBI recruit as she and her partner track down a missing child, there is much more below the surface than there first appears. A hidden investigation, lost loved ones, a mysterious broken key, bizarre rituals, weird dreams, a prospective mayor, a weird military installation. It goes on and on, but ties together almost seamlessly while still leaving you with lingering questions.
Scenes suddenly shift when you least expect them, or linger until you act, so you're never quite sure where you stand or whether what you've seen and done has any lasting impact. It can be disorientating, but also leaves you trying to wring every last detail out of each scene in a bid to formulate a better understanding. It leaves you with pangs of regret over what you might have missed, and a desire to revisit certain scenes to see them from a fresh angle. Few games ever accomplish such skilful direction.
Indeed by the time the credits roll you may well have more questions than answers. The fact that some scenes can play out differently, even in minor ways, and others are locked in leaves you with the nagging suspicion you could have witnessed something slightly differently or leapt to the wrong conclusion. The story always keeps you guessing and the almost TV nature of the storytelling adds to the intrigue. As you near the climax there are a series of wonderful scenes, twists and narrative leaps that are pitch perfect.
The most impressive aspect is how everything is accomplished without any dialogue at all. Part of that is down to the lovely throwback graphics, as the cartoony style never undermines the mood or tone of even the most important scenes. Characters are wonderfully expressive and can convey things in a look, a wave or a shrug that must other games struggle to do with a full script. It also helps that the art style just feels like a perfect recreation of Middle America, with that down home vibe and rustic ambiance, so that each scene draws you in even more.
However, the true star of the show is the absolutely breathtaking score. It can't be overstated just how well paced every scene and moment is from a musical perspective. From brooding moments when our heroine is at a low ebb, to excited trills as a key discovery is made. The music is note perfect from beginning to end, and almost feels like a character in its own right.
Virginia is a mystery game that is wonderfully well done. The game has a basic, rustic charm that perfectly matches its subject matter. It's often beautiful, frequently bewildering, masterfully musical and overall a superb achievement. The second the game ended there was a feeling of disappointment and an impulse, swiftly acted upon, to play it again - there can be no better recommendation than that.