Small Radios Big Televisions: Small Game Big Impact

A look into a fascinating world

In my time with Small Radios Big Televisions I couldn’t help but feel completely enraptured with this game’s world. Its story is cryptic yet enticing; its environments are limited yet engrossing; its sound is calming yet exciting and its art is vibrant yet simplistic. There isn’t just one word to describe Small Radios Big Televisions, but there is one word to describe my time spent with the game: fantastic.  

smallradiosFrom a graphical standpoint, Small Radios Big Televisions’ indie roots shine in a simple yet deep art style. The art will remind many of the bright colors of Firewatch as well as the haunting corridors of Portal. Seeing is believing in this game and one of its main mechanics is transporting the player into virtual reality worlds via cassette tapes that at first are utterly breathtaking but once reversed heartbreaking. Seeing each of the three forms of each tape took my curiosity to new heights. I wanted to know the secrets of these tapes, what were they hiding, what was their purpose, but to an even higher level once I opened the door to that virtual world at times I didn’t want to leave. The colors were so warm, the motion was so calm, the sound was so soothing, each tape beckoned you to stay just a bit longer with its visuals and to see the worlds warped and reversed at times was a depressing fascination that I just couldn’t look away. Seeing the once beautiful worlds flipped and stretched into flat colors, it was a destruction I wanted to study more and each tape’s visuals kept me coming back to watch them even after I had used them to advanced the puzzles.

small-radios-big-televisions-screen-09-ps4-us-14sep16The story for Small Radios Big Televisions is so minimal it’s almost nonexistent, but this didn’t leave me frustrated. Instead of presenting you with a large narrative that explains each and every point and twist, the story lets you formulate your own ideas about what happened to this world and just what these tapes are for. Little exposition dumps are given after each of the games levels but they serve more as clues than explanations. I was given enough information to want more but not need it. While the first level of the game can seem a bit confusing until the first narrative is spoken, the games environment and decorations are its story. Much like the rats nests writings on the walls in Portal and sketches hint for you to question the world you are in and the tapes themselves. You are left to question everything by the end, even the idea of just how deep you are in the tapes, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Its nuanced touch for story telling will leave each player with their own interpretation and that is something few games successfully achieve.

brst4The sound for Small Radios Big Televisions is the game’s biggest weakness and one of its deepest strengths. During sections of the narrative, text will appear with crackling and screeching radio sound behind it. While it didn’t entirely bother me, these sounds are prevalent throughout the game especially during most of the tape reversals so it can grow to be a bit bothersome for those a bit more sensitive to the screeches and static distortions. In a whole, the soundtrack is not award winning by any means but it fits Small Radios Big Televisions medium so perfectly it’s almost as if the game was created in perspective of its sound. Each level has its own ominous tone with the sound feeding the mystery of the game but also its loneliness. Upon entering the tapes, in any of their three forms, the sound design behind each environment is brilliant. When the world is beautiful and calm so is the sound, but when the world is warped and distorted the once beautiful tone turns rotten just like the world around it. The sound of the game is in a sense another narrator for the player, as we see the sound change from level to level even becoming frantic and rushed at the game’s penultimate level like the climax of an action thriller. Every beat and crescendo takes our hand and guides us through its levels. Perhaps this is why when you finally reach a point of silence it becomes just that much more effective for the story telling.

small-radios-big-televisions-magnetGameplay for Small Radios Big Televisions is a bit too simplistic and floaty. The game is a short adventure of about 2-3 hours that is filled with puzzles that can stump you at times but only momentarily. The camera can be a bit restricting as you do not have full control throughout the game and nearly the entire game is controlled through a mouse-like cursor that feels a bit too out of control at times, especially on console. The puzzles never really grew too much throughout each level with some based off of light, water or missing components but after the first level, you have a grasp on exactly what the mechanics of the game are. I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed and frustrated with the gameplay at times. Certain areas I had trouble accessing with the camera because of the items I carried and the map given by the game seemed useless overall, the gameplay felt a little shoehorned in as an afterthought compared to the rest of the game.

small-radios-big-televisions-screen-05-ps4-us-14sep16Players will not truly gain much on a second play through of Small Radios Big Televisions. Its puzzles are not challenging enough to feel very rewarding and due to the games length you will likely remember all the solutions to each level. The story is mysterious and deep but so much is left to the player’s interpretation that going through the game a second time does little to provide answers or insight. The environments and sounds are still enjoyable but after seeing them for a second or third time they lose their effect on the player sustainably making the games replay value average at best.

Will you be picking this one up from Steam or PS4? What is your favorite indie darling? Do you think you were in a tape te whole time? Let us know in the comments below, on the RGM Forums, or over on our Twitter.

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REVIEW OVERVIEW
Graphics
9
Story
9
Sound
9
Gameplay
6
Replay Value
5
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Hey there! My name is Kyle Boren and I have loved games since the first time I booted up Link's Awakening on my Gameboy despite never even beating the game. I believe gaming is one of the most influential mediums in the world today. The deep connections gamers can feel to the characters, story, or environment to their games has long been a life dream for me to be apart of. You can follow me on Twitter @kboren92 but be warned I think I am funnier then I actually am and I am a big Dallas sports fan. I am also an author, my book Uprising available on CreateSpace now. Thanks for taking the time to read my work and please comment with any of your own viewpoints! And if I don't see you good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight!
small-radios-big-televisions-small-game-big-impactSmall Radio’s Big Televisions is worth a moment of your time. Its mysterious story and fascinating world rope you in for its short ride even if it can feel a bit limiting at times. The beauty of its tapes, the loneliness of its world, and the pacing of its sound all make for a memorable ride even if its gameplay can be frustrating and forgettable. I very much enjoyed my time with Small Radio’s Big Televisions and I believe you will too.