I was so interested that so many people on Tuesday were displeased with the graphics in Curtain because I feel that the choice to design the game that way is essential to its immersion and storytelling, such that taking that aspect away would make the narrative less compelling and thus the game less enjoyable. I think this makes more sense if you consider the game more as a form of art rather than just meant for entertainment. In fact I actually think there is a sort of meta irony to saying that the graphics detract from the experience.
Firstly I think that Curtain is already meant to be an uncomfortable experience. The player is thrust into an unfamiliar private relationship, so it feels intrusive, and on top of that, it quickly becomes evident that the partner is abusive, so observing it is unpleasant and even distressing. And while the player plays as Ally in the game, they have no means to help or defend her, so the player just feels like a helpless bystander. So the game is not enjoyable in the sense that it is comfortable or fun to play—it becomes burdensome to watch, it evokes sadness, pity, indignation. Witnessing the abuse can take a toll on a player mentally. The game immerses the player in this feeling because its purpose is to teach people about abusive relationships. Rather than it being a game people play to have fun, it is a game that provides the player a unique perspective, experience, that they might not otherwise get, so that they are more sensitive and understanding when they meet someone in real life who is going through or has gone through an abusive relationship.
As such, the graphics in the game contribute heavily to this immersion. The pixelated art style and grating color scheme make distinguishing surroundings difficult. It makes it difficult to understand the things around you, reflecting the instability of the relationship itself, Ally’s uncertainty with it and her future, and Ally’s own self-doubt and damaged self-esteem. This is evident as in the end of the game, when Ally has left the relationship and is living on her own, the color scheme becomes more subdued, and the surroundings become clearer. However, when she enters the bathroom and looks into the mirror, the colors become more saturated and the pixels fuzzier as lasting effects of the abuse are revealed. Emotional trauma can also have physical effects on the body, and any physical discomfort from the graphics reflect that.
That being said, I don’t think that you can really understand what it’s like until you actually experience it first-hand, and even then, everyone’s experiences may not be the same. I think it’s ironic to say that the game is flawed because the graphics are uncomfortable, firstly because it’s intentional, and secondly because I just feel like any discomfort we may feel as players can never compare to the visceral pain that those who have actually experienced domestic abuse have felt—which is the experience we are trying to emulate and learn about through this game. The game can be triggering content-wise. So I feel like we’re really privileged if the weird colors and flashing pixels making our eyes hurt a little is the worst experience from the game we get. Or if out of everything, it’s the one thing we focus on from the game.
If video games can be art, I’d say this game is art. And art is not always pleasant to look at—but just like we’ve seen with games like Passage or Unpacking, the individual experience of the player and the feelings the game evokes, whether it be negative or positive, give the game value and meaning. It’s just in Curtain’s case, the feelings may also be physical.
