The iCarly RPG

I'm not sure this game really works that well if you've never seen the iCarly Nickelodeon TV show, but there's a lot of heart and soul in this game. It describes itself as a "horror" game, and certainly there are horror elements, but I'd describe it as a game about dealing with grief and guilt through the metaphor of Lovecraftian creepypasta horror tropes.

First of all, it needs to be said that I played this game with only a basic understanding of what iCarly is. But even though I didn’t know Carly, it was nice to spend a little time with her.

This game is not exactly what I expected The iCarly RPG to be, even though I knew not to expect iCarly the RPG. And it’s not a groundbreaking game, but it delivers something I enjoyed very much: an absurd and fragmented story with a beating heart buried underneath. There’s some laughs, some light horror, some references I didn’t understand—a little bit of a lot of things. I enjoyed the jarring mix of comedy and tragedy, unexpected left turns, unusual design choices, and especially the fourth wall breaking. I am a sucker for fourth wall breaking.

The story was not entirely scrutable (probably even for fans of the show), but the incompleteness suited the mood. The interactivity was simple but involving and meaningful, particularly at the end. And the RPG elements were well placed and effective (Spoiler - click to show)(this is a joke because they are so underused, but also I mean it because an ingredient used sparingly can add a lot). And then you get to feel good at the end!!