Netflix made a bad FMV game.

Netflix made a new movie called Bandersnatch. It’s a Black Mirror thing. It’s also basically one of those bad FMV games from the 90s. At points in the movie, you get to make a choice on what the main character will do.

It’s . . . honestly, it’s really fucking terrible. I honestly have a hard time understanding why this got made. It makes for a really bad movie with shit pacing, and it’s also a bad interactive experience. No idea what they were trying to accomplish.

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Netflix made a new movie called Bandersnatch. It’s a Black Mirror thing. It’s also basically one of those bad FMV games from the 90s. At points in the movie, you get to make a choice on what the main character will do.

It’s . . . honestly, it’s really fucking terrible. I honestly have a hard time understanding why this got made. It makes for a really bad movie with shit pacing, and it’s also a bad interactive experience. No idea what they were trying to accomplish.

Netflix is all over the place with their original content. They seem to be taking a spray and pray approach: Make a bunch of very different content and see what works.

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Netflix made a new movie called Bandersnatch. It’s a Black Mirror thing. It’s also basically one of those bad FMV games from the 90s. At points in the movie, you get to make a choice on what the main character will do.

It’s . . . honestly, it’s really fucking terrible. I honestly have a hard time understanding why this got made. It makes for a really bad movie with shit pacing, and it’s also a bad interactive experience. No idea what they were trying to accomplish.

Netflix is all over the place with their original content. They seem to be taking a spray and pray approach: Make a bunch of very different content and see what works.

Spray and pray indeed. They even put me in charge of editing one - they are that crazy :-p

Look for it in March. Walk Ride Rodeo.

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Netflix made a new movie called Bandersnatch. It’s a Black Mirror thing. It’s also basically one of those bad FMV games from the 90s. At points in the movie, you get to make a choice on what the main character will do.

It’s . . . honestly, it’s really fucking terrible. I honestly have a hard time understanding why this got made. It makes for a really bad movie with shit pacing, and it’s also a bad interactive experience. No idea what they were trying to accomplish.

All the feedback I've heard so far is positive or average/meh. You're the only one so far who was so negative.

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Yes, it was pretty bad.

Part of the problem was the fact that thematically it was treading in all too familiar territory. The other problem is that not every line of choice leads to a complete story. Just like choose your own adventure books before it, bad choices abruptly stopped the story, and there is one ‘best’ ending.

I didn’t want to talk about my mom. So why did it eventually make me? Just write around my choice…

Until Dawn is MILES ahead of this in terms of controllable narrative complexity.

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I watched it with a group of friends tonight. It was a lot of fun.

It doesn’t claim to be a videogame so I’m not sure why people are comparing it to games. Of course there are limitations to what you can do—a traditional show is entirely limited if judged by the same criteria.

No one else is making this kind of stuff. It’s something that can’t be made on traditional television. More power to Netflix for trying it.

I thought the writing and cinematography was great.

I’m not too wild about other Black Mirror stuff, for reference.

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It doesn’t claim to be a videogame so I’m not sure why people are comparing it to games. Of course there are limitations to what you can do—a traditional show is entirely limited if judged by the same criteria.

No one else is making this kind of stuff. It’s something that can’t be made on traditional television. More power to Netflix for trying it.

FMV choose-your-own-adventure games have been a thing for ages now. Maybe they should've done some better research?

I agree that the fact that they're trying is great enough as it is, but I feel like this is the sort of thing that needs to blow people away on the first try to gain traction (see ancient VR vs current VR). Hopefully, the hype for it pads the numbers enough to justify to the producers an amazing second try.

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FMV choose-your-own-adventure games have been a thing for ages now. Maybe they should've done some better research?

I agree that the fact that they're trying is great enough as it is, but I feel like this is the sort of thing that needs to blow people away on the first try to gain traction (see ancient VR vs current VR). Hopefully, the hype for it pads the numbers enough to justify to the producers an amazing second try.

But that's my whole point. It's not a video game.

Just curious, because it's unclear from your reply: Did you watch it?

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But that's my whole point. It's not a video game.

That is honestly really debatable. It’s almost exactly a FMV game. This is basically what those were. If they didn’t look at those or have those in mind when they made this, they didn’t take advantage of past lessons and missed an opportunity to make something actually good.

I’m inclined to think this style of thing just doesn’t work based on structure. It results in a messy experience with little chorence, false paths, and disappointing narrative conclusions. It’s trying to make multiple (and mostly bad) stories crammed into one thing. There’s an potentially interesting narrative in this thing, but that had to write a bunch of bullshit to fill out the gimmick.

Again, I’m not knocking anyone who likes it. I’m glad it works for some people. I just don’t get why—it’s theorotically interesting, but executed terribly.

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