TRF (Week 1): A Proper Review on Air Pressure

Hello and welcome all to a new segment thingy on my blog: Terrible Review Friday (TRF), where I attempt to compose a review on some obscure game, program, or whatnot. I've actually been kinda apprehensive towards starting something like this, but we're just going to jump head first into this. Anyhow, for this post I'll be going on about Air Pressure, "an unromantic visual novel" produced by bentosmile. If you have been a long time lurker on this blog, then you may remember a pathetic attempt long ago. This time around I hope to do justice to the game, and to provide a proper and insightful review.

Air Pressure is a story about a man who starts questioning why he is dating a girl. You play as said man, and make choices and decisions (which of course, affect your ending) involving the girl. Looking at it from a very objective view, Air Pressure is simply a pixelated love story. But when have we ever looked at games only objectively?

The truth is, the entirety of this game can be viewed as an elaborate metaphor. However, it is up to the player as to how to interpret it.

I played through the game making choices that distanced myself from the girl. It becomes apparent early in the game that the main character has somewhat of a dependency on the girl, to an unhealthy extent. After picking a few decisions that really cut the girl out, I got what I assumed was a good ending; I had claimed independence and the girl was out of my life.

So what makes Air Pressure a meaningful metaphor?

It's the language for sure. The way that the story is told subtly suggests an underlying theme, and it's done so in a pretty profound way. Let's take the screenshot below and analyze it as an example.

Sure, when you've been with a girl for a few years now, you can say that she's "helped" you quite a bit. When you think of how a girlfriend may have helped you, things such as supporting you through emotional times or being a comforter come to mind. But it sounds awkward to say that a girlfriend has "helped" you, hinting at an ulterior meaning. And for me, that meaning was a commentary on drug abuse and addiction.

Air Pressure wears a light cloak of deception, disguising itself as an unimportant romance story. However with a little thought and effort, it's evident that an unoriginal love story isn't all that it provides. In fact, it's actually a message and metaphor on drugs, and how they can affect your life. By making decisions to stay away from the girl (who symbolizes drugs), you start changing your life for the better. While not extremely long or super meaningful, Air Pressure is a nice little game that everybody can enjoy.

Play It: http://bentosmile.com/gameslist/air-pressure/