<Every Day The Same Dream> by Molleindustria delves into the boredom of repeated life and the sense of alienation experienced by people within society. 

Everything in the game is straightforward, from the visuals and music to the spaces and controls. Its simplicity feels even slightly annoying at first(especially the repeated music, like films by Bela Tarr, to confess, I gave up watching his films at some moment because of it), but it gets players used to it quickly. In particular, players quickly adapt to the simple use of the space key and right arrow key. At one point, I even caught myself pressing the right arrow and space keys, almost robotically, which actually resulted in me being restricted from uncovering new events in the game. Like this, the game's straightforward system instills players to have a behavior that is promoted in the game, guiding players to immerse themselves and experience the message. The game embodies mechanization through the game mechanics. In other words, Every Day the Same Dream uses procedural rhetoric to critique mechanization of daily life.

(Bela tarr also used music loop to demonstrate the repetitiveness and monotonousness in life)

Deviation from the guided mechanical system leads to five events in the game that ultimately lead to the final ending. If players decide not to press space on the wardrobe or decide to go in the opposite direction (pressing the left arrow instead of the right one), they will observe subtle yet distinct outcomes at the end of the play attempt, prompting the protagonist to evolve into a 'new person.'

Being a new person can be interpreted in many ways. However, the idea that slight deviations in the play can result in a complete transformation, impacting not only the end scene in the game but also the entire being of the character, raises a fundamental question of 'what it means to be alive.'

In <May all beings be happy>, Beopjeong(법정 스님) says that being born anew is not a grand event, but rather involves letting go of old self, customs, and habits all at once. Sounds not easy, however, the game suggests that at times, tiny actions in our lives can serve as a doorway to a fresh point of view.

Things came to mind after playing: <May all beings be happy> by Beopjeong (법정 스님), Eternal Return of Nietzsche, Bela Tarr's films 

2024.5.20