In the world of horror, the internet has been the breeding ground for a new generation of storytellers. Voices that would otherwise be lost to the void, stories that would traditionally be seen as too macabre or off-kilter, are now thriving in the world of alternative horror. We’ve seen many examples of the different types of horror genres that now rule the web. Creepypastas, while primitive, were user-created blog posts that laid the foundation for internet ghost stories, giving us legends like Sonic.EXE and Slender Man.
As time has gone by, more methodical and immersive approaches have been taken to horror. Subgenres like Analog Horror and Liminal Horror pierce into our brains through their emphasis on psychological horror, combining sometimes very visceral atrocities with the otherworldly to create feelings similar to those of the uncanny valley. Web series like The Mandela Catalogue or The Walten Files are great examples of how they take seemingly innocuous concepts like old analog media or animatronics and make something scary out of them. Overall, this golden age of horror has made it a wonderful time to get scared, and a wonderful time to experience new art that elucidates that feeling.
Video games have also benefited from this growth, and there have been tons of amazing out-of-the-box titles that can send shivers down your spine. One recently caught my eye: a game that prides itself on the fact that it isn’t made in a modern game engine, but software that was meant for the creation of DVD menus. Buitopia DVD is the name of the game, and it’s a title that captured my imagination while also addressing some of the deepest dread that hid in my head.
Root Menu
Buitopia DVD is exactly what it says on the tin: a DVD game. The player chooses from decisions that will decide what they say or do, as well as where they go. Highlighted text selections feel like a familiar sight for anyone who grew up in the 2000s and spent their days watching DVD copies of movies and browsing through bonus features. It fuels a sense of nostalgia that runs throughout the game as a central theme.
That sense of nostalgia makes for a great storytelling device. It is even enhanced by how each copy of the game comes with an ISO of the game itself. If you really want to immerse yourself, you can burn a copy of the game to a disc. Actually experiencing Buitopia DVD on a DVD player felt like the intended way to play, as it begins a meta connection from reality to the world of the game. A game about a world existing on a DVD being played on a DVD… It sometimes can feel like you, as the player, take on the role of protagonist within the story.
Buitopia is the land on the DVD, a world seemingly bound by loose logic and whatever entertainment the “Wiggul” creatures that inhabit the world can provide. Within this world, a woman named Jess calls Buitopia home. Choosing to forfeit her life in the real world for one within the disc comes with the caveat that no one from her previous life can visit her unless it’s her birthday.
That’s where you come in; your task is to get Jess a birthday present and find her within the disc. While this feels like quite a simple plot, it gets a lot more complicated as you roam about the world. That’s all I can say for now since delving further would get into spoiling some of the game’s best surprises. Finding Jess is quite the challenge if you don’t know what you’re looking for; learning the lay of the land is the first step. This compelling premise is furthered by its nostalgic use of puzzles within its gameplay.
Scrubbing Footage
At times, Buitopia DVD can feel like the kind of Flash point-and-click adventure game that you would find on Newgrounds. This comparison is not a bad thing, far from it, in fact. Similar to a lot of games from that era of the internet, a lot of the puzzles that can come up in your journey can have really out-of-the-box answers. While in terms of gameplay itself there isn’t much other than selecting options (which adds up given the technical limitations of DVD), the game plays with your expectations.
This leads to some really fun and clever puzzles that can really make you think. In order to find a path forward, thinking within the bounds of what is usually possible will get you nowhere. You need to be observant, patient, and most importantly, curious. Trying out different options is the name of the game, and it’ll often lead you to encounters with strange characters or even stranger locations. As you play, the world begins to map itself in your head and becomes rather vast. Going to old locations with new information becomes a common thing and will often bring different results.
One path might lead you to the home of the Wigguls, while another might bring you to a series of separate DVD menus for fictional shows and movies. Using the knowledge that you’ve gathered brings you deeper within the disc, but you should always be prepared for the world to pull the rug out from underneath you. This leads to another part of the game that I love: its sense of humor. The game has so many moments that made me cackle to myself over some of the smallest little things. The humor is extremely dry in how it takes the most ridiculous things seriously, similar to other online horror series. An outside perspective might say that this is all non-sequitur humor with no deeper meaning behind it, but the devil lies within the details. Jess’ story and personality lie deep within the disc, and each step towards a different corner brings little bits and pieces of her past to the surface.
What feels like a silly adventure game can quickly turn into one that tackles feelings of dread and loneliness in a modern world. Isolation can make people do extreme things, and Jess has been waiting for a visitor for a long time. When I managed to reach Jess, through all the time spent trying to find her and learning who she is in the process, talking to her felt like reconciling with a friend that you haven’t seen in years.
Be Kind, Rewind.
Video games nowadays can feel somewhat like an arms race. Companies are racing to make games bigger, faster, prettier, and more cinematic as the separation between gaming and film starts to grow smaller and smaller. Throughout all the bombastic set pieces and jaw-dropping graphics that AAA games provide, Buitopia DVD has managed to stand tall among them. It pulls this off by providing such a poignant experience. Much like a short film, an artistic vision shines through everything.
As a game, it might not be what some people are looking for. It takes an unconventional form of presentation in both regards to gameplay and story that some players just won’t vibe with. If you’re looking for something with raw gameplay, I suggest you look elsewhere. If this game looks interesting in the slightest bit, then I really hope you give it a shot. The game showcases emotional storytelling with such grace. While it might not come clear to everyone, those who can dive into the depths will find a story that can bring you to points in your life so vividly.
Childhood nostalgia, the existential dread of growing up, the isolation of adulthood, and the pervasive idea of living forever: these concepts may not be scary on the surface, but the implications of what you’ll find within Buitopia can bring these thoughts up, along with that feeling of emptiness deep within the pit of your stomach. Horror shouldn’t be just jumpscares and death. Internet horror has shown me that fact in spades, and I’ll take a jump scare over an unbearable sense of unease any day. Horror comes in all shapes and sizes, and Buitopia DVD chooses to dig deep rather than make you scream.
Disclaimer: Nondoon Interactive provided a PC copy of Buitopia DVD for review purposes.
