Glock & mr8bit - C. Kane (2013)

 

Composer: Glock & mr8bit
Console: Android, Steam, ItchIo
Game Release Date: 2013-??-??
Soundtrack Release Date: 2013-09-19
Runtime: 34:06, 11 Tracks

Time for a really obscure one. Although, I would like if this was less obscure. Citizen Kane is considered to be one of the greatest movies ever made. So how would a game fair? It wouldn't be that bad actually. 

Around the time I was also aware of LISA and a few other 'weird' RPGs coming out. I just dubbed it Avant-garde RPGs at the time. It's been give or take 7-8 years since I played and beat it. I can't for the life of me remember how I found this. I want to say it was recommended to me on twitter or something or I saw a post on Reddit or a YouTuber I watch recommended or played it. I really don't know. 
This game is loosely based on the plot of Citizen Kane notably changing many aspects of the plot. For one, the setting is now post-apocalyptic America. Jerry Thompson is now accompanied by 3 other protagonists, one of which is an anthropomorphic talking beaver, they are still looking for the meaning of Rosebud and are guided throughout the mainland USA by a talking shark. I have never actually seen Citizen Kane but thankfully I had a friend who had that at the time I spoke with asking him various details about the plot and how it compared to the game. Look, I wrote earlier it is loosely based off. Like, the big reveal of Rosebud is the same (sort of). 

The game is built in the OHRRPGCE engine. That engine has a number of quirks and gameplay choices that make it hard to explain. It's like how once you've played  bunch of SMW hacks you understand the games physics on a subconscious level. Gameplay-wise it's still a traditional RPG with levels, some equivalent of magic and random encounters. It's the story and aesthetic that the game really shines. 

I can't think of many games similar to it in style or atmosphere. Super Walrus Games put out another OHRRPGCE game called Ghost's Towns. It was quite good although I don't remember much about it. It's also pretty surreal. There's also Macabre, another OHRRPGCE game that's on steam. C. Kane is so unique that it's hard to really compare it to stuff. Even other "takes a classic and reimagines it" games don't get as crazy as C. Kane like American McGee's Alice series and the NDS Wizard of Oz RPG. It's almost comparable to that The Room game. 

The soundtrack was composed by Glock & mr8bit who I assume are just aliases of the games developers. I write this as they have also done the scores for other games by Super Walrus. They have also composed for other games too such as Carny Death Peddlers. The music is a parody of hip hop music with non-sensical, undecipherable raps and weird ass beats, ironically terrible autotune and makes uses of default MIDI instruments. It's weird and somehow fits with this already bizarre game. 
While finishing up this post I found out the game was re-released on Steam + ItchIo with additional content. Whenever I get the chance I simply have to do a re-run of the game and see what was added. When I played it originally I obtained everything, including beating the 'secret' boss. 

Itch.Io: https://super-walrus-games.itch.io/c-kane

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.superwalrusland.ckane
Soundtrack: https://glockandmr8bit.bandcamp.com/album/c-kane-soundtrack
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/385030/C_Kane/