MOBILE DOUBLE BILL: A Review of Westport Independent & The Room 3

   In my previous article, we discussed the diversity and impact that is found in mobile games. These portable delights range greatly between Triple-A shooter games to interactive text adventures, with more ideas coming every year. Today I’d like to review two different mobile games that I played last week, namely Westport Independent and The Room 3. 

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   First up, Westport Independent, or as I’ve come to call it, “Censorship Simulator.” This game relates the story of a 1940s newspaper publisher that is under the power of the totalitarian government. The government trusts the editor in chief (the player) to censor articles that might spark rebellion and promote wholesome messages. It is up to the player to promote the governors or the rebels before the Government seizes total control of the paper within 12 weeks. 

Putting together the paper was rather tricky, since the position of the articles changed what demographic was reached.

   The game was developed by Lucas Pope, the creator of Papers, Please, which explains the look and feel of the game. The graphics are terribly bleak and pixilated, portraying paperwork being filed and sent with an emphasis on story and choice. Although, after playing the game twice through, I’m afraid Mr. Pope failed to bring his A-game this time. For one, the game is disappointingly short; reading all the text and responding to situations carefully granted only an hour of play. The game also feels terribly redundant, relying on the player to make the game more interesting by chopping articles to bits and putting them back together. 

   However, I think the harshest blow to the game was a lack of stakes. In Papers, Please the player knew that accuracy and speed meant life or death for your family. Moral choices had impact, since you could choose to follow the rules or let exceptions occur. In Westport, however, there is no payoff for your actions except a two-minute text scroll that lists what happened after the paper was seized. Sure, you can choose to incite rebellion, but you never have to deal with the consequences, so all impact is lost. Articles are manipulated, but the effects that come because of it are arbitrary at best. 

The censorship mechanics at work

   With repetitive mechanics, a glitchy interface and bleak graphics, the game was only made more annoying by its $5 price tag. I’m afraid I can’t recommend Westport Independent unless they added 200% more fun in the next patch and refunded my time and money from the last playthrough. 

   Moving on to The Room 3, the newest and final installment of the Room series. These games are most famous for their mind bending puzzles and stunning graphics, all of which are back and better than ever. While the game could get by without a story, with each new room comes new exposition about a scientist that has discovered a way to bring the back the dead. The player must solve riddles and puzzles to progress, each one uncovering shreds of the scientist’s former life and experiments. Each of the puzzles usually fall under one of two categories: finding the right pieces to fit into a mechanism, or deciphering riddles and codes to get another piece. Helpful hints are given to the player upon request to ensure a successful playthrough, making the puzzles a greater joy to encounter. 

Each building on the table above housed a secret, but only to those clever enough to unlock their true potential.

With thirty massive levels, the game rounds out a nice length but doesn’t overstay its welcome. The push-pull-press interface is intuitive and is easy to pick up on for new players. The graphics are incredibly pretty, if a little murky at times, though it emphasizes the dark underlying tone of the story. The Room 3 is a game that one simply must play, if only to feel the rush of satisfaction as you watch a complex mechanism fall into place and reveal a new secret. 

Just another piece to a grand design... what secret does it hide?

   While it does cost the same as Westport, I’d rather pay $5 for The Room’s meaty challenge than Westport’s insubstantial pastry. Games are meant to offer a challenge with solid payoff at the end, and I’m pleased to say that whatever disappointment I felt from Censorship Simulator was abated by Glorious Puzzle Extravaganza. Take a look for yourself, and I’m sure that you’ll come to agree with me. 

   Want to discuss or defend Westport Independent? Leave a comment here or at our Twitter, @GamerGweek!

   Written by Spence