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Editor's note: Despite Looming's lack of colors, Richard paints a vivid picture of this mysterious alien world. I wasn't even aware that this game existed, but I'm going to check it out right now. -Jay
You appear in a dark, cold, and empty world, seeking answers and knowledge of a mysterious place, long abandoned by all life. Artifacts of a bygone era dot the dusty, barren environment and give hints of two vastly different peoples and a huge, four-legged flying animal. Hidden stone pillars rise from the earth as you approach, and gigantic, awe-inspiring structures reach high into the most beautiful sky you have ever seen.
This is not The Majesty of Colors — in fact, this world completely lacks color. Strange, alien presences touch this world; these beings seem more sophisticated and more intelligent than us, but at the same time, they also show signs of being more naive. Members of one such culture accept only what they perceive with their own senses, and they appear to do whatever feels right to them. The Seecha, as they name themselves, reject the concept of the sky above them and often build profound structures and machines that stretch high above the ground.
This strange place called Looming holds the truth of the past and the secrets of the end of time. Despite being barren and containing nothing but bones, dust, and old relics, Looming eventually proffers knowledge of a powerful, intelligent, and ancient beast known as the Oarbor. The Seecha once hunted this beast, until a great Epiphany taught them they had no future on Loaming, and they packed up most of their useful machines and departed.
You also learn of another race, the Lorem, who believe in science and logic above all else and put absolute faith in rationality. They value mathematics, biology, physics, and logic much like humans do, and they also seek the elusive unifying theory that explains the universe. However, things that cannot be explained shake the Lorem to their core. The great machines of the Seecha baffle the Lorem because they cannot discern how they function. They decided to leave Looming as well, in search of a place where they no longer encounter any unexplained phenomena that challenge their understanding of the universe.
You see no one when you arrive in Looming — every being capable of leaving has already done so. Only unmovable paths, machines, and stone structures remain. You can’t help but wonder to yourself, “Where did they go?” This place seems to know, but it teases you with riddles. A large dome-shaped building bears the instruction, “This door opens only to those with a grasp of the Sciences.” A signpost rises from the ground as you wander, inscribed with a message that tells you, “This place never keeps its visitors. They always leave.” Another sign hints at the cause of this, while one more suggests you already know, but you can’t remember. All the while, a strange chanting seems to follow you around as you explore.
This harsh and confusing world helps you appreciate just how much you love January. You long to return to her and the warmth of her presence. You explore the world of Looming, closed off from everything, in the hope that one day you will discover its secrets and return to your beloved. You can't help but wonder if you will also become a part of this ageless mystery that remembers all which came before and knows all that will occur in the future. Perhaps a special secret looms in the darkness of this grey, forboding world that will allow you to return to January, if just for a short while.
Looming is Gregory Weir’s new “art” game, set in a black-and-white world, wherein you can either just run around and collect stuff, or you can try to unravel the complicated and obtuse story (by discovering all nine endings). You can play it online here.