Attack of the Mutaydid Meat Monsters

by Duncan Bowsman profile

2009
Sci-fi, Horror, Comedy
ADRIFT

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Review

From the Author


by DB

The illustrator's younger brother supplied the initial "seed" for this story: the idea of a meat monster. He was at a time when he liked making up stories and wanted to write books, but only ever came out with rough ideas. I told him I would use an idea from him as the basis for one of my own stories, and this (plus puns) was the result.

Produced under EvenComp restrictions, it is only constraint and the game's ridiculously over-the-top delivery that make this one stand out to me, which is why I think it could take two stars instead of just one despite its being rather bad. The story strives to hit two extremes, of horror and humor (hoping to bring nuance to a "so bad it's good" shlock style), but fumbles its deepest horror element. The humor becomes sort of awkward next to an image of a man chopping a bloody fountain out of... something with a lot of blood in it. Ultimately the experience evens out somewhere around the level of simple gross-out shtick. Unfortunately, that's a fail for both horror and humor.

Still, some of the humor does manage to amuse me when I look back on it. The hyperbolically mean, old man makes me giggle. Who's really that mean? My favourite line is the one about The Stranger's name.

A work made without seriousness which maybe had more potential in it somewhere, but might still be worth a chuckle... or a squick?

Full disclosure: I thought I would upload this because I saw a poll for Worst IF Titles and figured this might garner a vote (two of its reviews from the ADRIFT Forum mention the quality of the title). Also, though I wasn't when this game was made, I've been a vegetarian for a while now.


Comments on this review

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Victor Gijsbers, February 17, 2011 - Reply
My favourite part was where the game suddenly turned to deep metaphysical interpretations of primal dreams -- unexpected, and well written. In fact, the quality of this part is what made the ending so disappointing to me; paradoxically, for me this good part made the whole experience worse. :)

My review of yesterday may have sounded a bit more accusatory than I wanted to. That is, I believe the game misses its mark and strays into bad taste, but I also believe it does so unintentionally. This latter aspect was probably not clear, so I have rewritten the review.
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