After a brief discussion, Jamie and Dakin decided that April is officially Internet Comics Month at Duck & Cover. They're going to take the opportunity to share with you some of their favorites, as well as hopefully discover some new favorites. In any event, they hope that you enjoy what they have to share, and, should you have some suggestions of something that they would like, flick them an email at duckandcovermusic[at]gmail[dot]com.
In the Edward Albee play Zoo Story, something has happened at the zoo. We learn this because a man (Jerry) has approached another man on a park bench (Peter) and told him as much. (Among other things -- other very personal and inappropriate things-- and, by and large, it is far from any conversation that we've had or would care to have on a park bench.) In any event, something, something awful, happened at the zoo, and we never learn just what that thing was.
In the flash game Fruit Mystery (developed by Australian Brett Graham) something has also happened at the zoo. However, this time, we have been made privy to just what that something was -- someone has fed the animals, and there have been dire consequences. However, sometimes, as is certainly the case with Fruit Mystery, answers spawn more questions. Of course now, our thinking has shifted from "What happened at the zoo?" to "What really happened at the zoo, if anything at all?' This glimpse of a half truth, or exaggerated truth, or complete falsehood is far, far more vexing than than the implied and ominous "something" that Albee had goaded us with.
Without giving too much away, we revisit Brett's trip to the zoo and are able to feed the animals from a selection of fruits, vegetables, and corn chips at the bottom of the page. This seldom ends well, and the game is paused. Why? So that we can read and learn. Again, it's best not to give too much away, and really just urge you to play the game immediately and repeatedly. Be sure to navigate the rest of Brett's site, as more questions are posed than are answered in many, many ways.
PLAY FRUIT MYSTERY **NOW**!
Comments
I played the game and thought it was a load of poorly thought out nonsense, but after reading and learning carefully I now see the underlying motivations of creating a game forcing players to feed animals inappropriate fruits.
Brett Graham has made a game drenched in guilt; he attempts to escape his shame about what he did at the zoo by recasting his real-life role with that of the player. By doing so, and then thoroughly condemning the player's actions, he is no longer culpable for making the giraffes vomit pickled onions.
But we may be over-thinking it. At least we got to play a $1000 game for free