Netflix has launched the tamagotchi game Thronglets, based on the episode «Playtest» from the seventh season of «Black Mirror». But it is not as simple as it seems at first glance.
Colin Ritman appears in the mobile game — Will Poulter’s character from the interactive movie «Bandersnatch». And although the game looks like a kind of cute tamagotchi, it quickly descends into the typical style of the series.
Thronglets is stylized as a fictional retro project from the 90s that was supposedly canceled back in 1994. Everything is designed as if you have just found a long-lost game by Tuckersoft. The task — to take care of the Thronglets creatures, which eventually begin to multiply and… not quite obey.
«These cute critters won’t just take over your phone; they could take over your life», — Netflix warns.
This game was created by Night School, a Netflix studio that became famous for psychological horror and interactive storyline of Oxenfree. It was developed in collaboration with Charlie Brooker — the creator of «Black Mirror».
«This gameplay is not just about managing virtual pets; it’s about exploring the depths of human nature and the consequences of our digital obsessions», — Netflix adds.
The game is not available on the Play Store or App Store because it is available through the Netflix mobile app. There are no ads, donations, or other in-app purchases. As soon as you start the game, you can unlock the Ritman Retrospective video — an excerpt that supposedly comes from a documentary about Colin Ritman. At the end of the game, you can take a personal test.
The episode «Playtest» combines the plot of the series and the game itself. The creator of the series, Charlie Brooker, says that he first came up with the idea for the episode, and then the idea to integrate the game into it. In particular, because Brooker liked the character of Colin Ritman for his absurdity and eccentricity.
Night School game director Sean Crankel doesn’t want to spoil the episode itself, but describes the game as a cross between a puzzle-platformer like Lemmings (1991) and an early life simulator. Along with the feeling that there is much more to it, and the game itself is both charming and terrifying.
The developers say that Thronglets is a mixture of cute and disturbing, with hints of technological addiction. Meanwhile, on April 10, the seventh season of «Black Mirror» was released on Netflix — with the first sequel episode in the show’s history. For the first time, the creators of will continue the story from the fourth season.
Source: Games Radar
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