Space Spy: Now with Sound!

By: fuzz

On: January 7th, 2010

Space Spy

I posted about the bizarre adventure game Space Spy a while back, but now it is finally finished. Vasily Zotov has added an extra level entitled “Portrait of Isabel Bronzina” as well as creating music and sound effects to complement the visuals. Most of the sound effects appear to be recorded from life, which adds a realistic touch to what is otherwise a completely fantastical experience. The music is very dramatic and atmospheric, perfectly suiting the style of the game, but the final level and the ending are what really make this worth downloading again. A chilling indictment of the American justice system, “Portrait of Isabel Bronzina” portrays a soulless judge sitting at a desk surrounded by framed paintings. As she speaks, her head fluctuates between large and small, and she throws paintings at the protagonist, and indeed anything in her way. By bringing a particular painting to her and plugging in two electrical cords, the ending is triggered. Suffice it to say that the final cinematic is likely one of the best endings in any game ever released. Vasily is currently looking for a publisher, with the ideal goal of having Space Spy released with Verizon Wireless, but for now you can play the game on PC or in-browser with the Unity Web Player, although the online version does not contain sound.

Space Spy can be downloaded here, while the newest trailer can be viewed here. If you’d like to see what feedback the game received from IGF judges, you can see a selection of comments here.

PS: I’m a new editor at TIGSource; you may know me as Fuzz from my previous guest articles and from my account on the forums.

  • Zaphos

    hooray, fuzz is editor now!

  • http://www.twitter.com/goodmorningcpt allen

    heck ya. downloading space spy now

    wonder why he’s aiming for verizon wireless?

  • http://lumberingdream.com/ !CE-9

    It’s great to see the IGF judges’ feedbacks, and that there IS some understanding for Zotov. The criticism could not be more constructive.

    Space Spy is a beyond words experience worth seeing. But don’t even mention the gameplay.

  • fuzz

    the glowing review on the igf feedback page (“vasily zotov, you are a mad genius…”) is without a doubt written by auntiepixelante, if you didn’t know.

  • kachowski

    nice one fuzz!

    perhaps now we can have regular updates! (hint hint)

  • http://0xdeadc0de.org Eclipse

    “a soulless judge sitting at a desk” i see what you did here

  • snapman

    how soulless?

  • dumber

    A lot?

  • Reasonable Person

    get a life.

  • reindall

    I salute anyone who bothered to play through this.

  • snapman

    The correct answer was “quite”.

  • judgespear

    Best endings in any game ever released? I can’t tell if this article is being serious or not.

  • Me

    I have a bit of a problem with you describing the ending to the game in the post. If you think it’s so magnificent, why did you spoil it so that we can not experience it as you did?

  • fuzz

    @ me: i didn’t spoil it, i just said that it was great. what i spoiled was the level, which doesn’t have anything in it to spoil anyway.

  • chaotic heart

    While I applaud Zotov for having the resolve to complete a game; any game; while dealing with his current situation… I have to say, this game falls completely flat for me.

    To me, it is not a representation of genius. More a representation of someone who thinks differently than the norm, so anything he creates is from a different perspective; which the unlearned automatically take for “genius”. Genius is the ability to make connections that are both true and beyond the average person to make. Non-sensical, false connections; no matter how original; is not genius… just nonsensical and original.

    I know my opinion is probably going to be unpopular here, but it is still my opinion. His work is original, but originality does not instantly equal great. Just novel.

    I give him full credit for actually completing something, though… far more than most of us ever actually achieve.

  • Anthony Flack

    @chaotic heart: No, I think you’re right. It really sounds like the dude is schizophrenic.

    Verison isn’t ever going to publish this game, as everybody well knows. I think it’s great that Zotov’s expressing himself and making these games, but I doubt that he is ever going to be in a fit state to do this kind of work professionally.

    Ok, I understand that there is often a sense of an enigmatic inner logic in the art of schizophrenic people, and this has always been particularly appealing to jaded intellectuals. But it’s more confusion than genius.

  • nobody2

    @Anthony Flack
    I think his games would be a hit if they were packaged up, and then analyzed by an artist, a psychologist, and a game designer as a commentary overlay. Like Mystery Science, but a bit more serious. It’d be like you’d be taking a trip through someone’s psychosis and trying to understand his actual mental state. Once you realize you’re playing as a crazy person, then the game begin becomes more interesting. By itself, it’d just an incoherent mediocre indie game.

  • Anthony Flack

    That would be pretty disrespectful, though! I don’t think many people would like to see their work presented in that way.

  • nobody2

    Only he can decide whether he thinks it’s disrespectful, since he has creative control anyhow. _A Trip Through Zotov’s Mind_ sounds like a respectable “art” product to have your name on. He knows his stuff is odd and unplayable already, so it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to market it differently.

  • Anthony Flack

    Uhh, if you say so!

    I think if you’re making his mental illness the drawcard, you run the risk of turning him into a freakshow. It probably wouldn’t help his paranoia any…

  • judgespear

    Aren’t we already doing that by making articles like these and encouraging his behavior?

  • fuzz

    @ judgespear: i genuinely like his games, mental illness or no.

  • Anthony Flack

    I think it’s fine to play and enjoy his games. They were made to be enjoyed, after all (although personally I reckon he’d do much better making films; his sensibilities seem more cinematic).

    I do think that people ought to be careful not to encourage him to blow all his savings on a foolish business venture or anything like that. I don’t think Auntie Pixelante’s exaggerated praise is really helpful, for instance…