You know a short game is amazing when it gives you goosebumps with few choices and deathly quiet. Shutdown is one of the few indie visual novels that examines stillness, numbness, and the dread of losing yourself through whispered speech, hazy pixels, and a silent death.
Wake up to a cold room. Your body is numb. A semi-familiar visage tells you to turn off your voice, vision, and hearing for a “reset.” You're not a machine. You're afraid. You still think and feel. Why is your object reusable?
Don't battle creatures. Instead, you talk to a killer (or machine?). A shared fate, four endings, and options. Each option brings you closer to oblivion, therefore you must decide: what will you keep?
Read, choose, and wait is the easy gameplay. But each option has emotional impact. You can keep your voice, hearing, or sight, but you must give them up one by one. Even though Shutdown is short, every minute is nerve-wracking. Every click closes a door, bringing you closer to nothingness.
Shutdown provides a frightening look at humanity in a technology society. Where does “machine” and “human” blur in an AI, robot, and automation age? How is “resetting” something with feelings and thoughts different from killing it? That question is answered by you, not the game.
The light but disturbing game Shutdown explores self-awareness and human values. A chilling game despite no blood or jumpscares. This brief yet powerful work of art is for those who dare to face their fear of self-loss in quiet and piece by piece.
