After all, if those characters can so easily be gone with the turn of a page or the closing of a program, what's stopping us from being just as insignificant?
We use these continuing stories as guidelines for our own lives: If there's always another X-Men film being released, we are always going to be there to watch it. Or read it. Or play it.
When the outcome fails to live up to our expectations, we are left with a mild depression. We spent a portion, sometimes a significant portion, of our lives devoted to a universe that was created for us to explore and revel in. If that vision, that purpose, is shattered, with what are we left?
***
Philosophical rhetoric aside, what happened to me? Did I find that the second in the planned three-part saga all that I wanted it to be?
No. It's not for lack of trying, though.
Ragnar Tornquist, the creator and writer of The Longest Journey, has crafted a beautiful and fascinating world, populated by a multitude of races, creeds and peoples. The story is obviously a labor of love, and he deserves credit for all that he did with it.
That said, I ran into a few problems. First off, the controls were clunky. After Half-Life 2 spoiled me, the facial expressions here seemed lacking, although the voice work was some of the best I've ever heard in a game, including the original. The music itself was a step up, actually, and the new composer, Kelly Bailey, deserves applause for that. But most importantly, the story, while interesting, didn't live up to the epic nature of the first.
For me, Dreamfall was supposed to continue my investment in the characters and stories from the first game. I was really rooting for Tornquist to pull another rabbit out of his hat and wow me with something that would stay with me as long as his prior brilliance. What Dreamfall did, instead, was create a new and interesting setup for a conclusion, but without the same power and strength as similar Tolkien midpoints. The quintessence of this game was supposed to be cleansing and renewing, giving me a breath of fresh air that I hadn't felt in a long time. Unfortunately, it fell far short.
In The Longest Journey, April Ryan was transformed from a confused, whiny girl into a warrior for The Balance, dealing with her difficult past and finding her way into a fantastic world. In Dreamfall, everything felt less important, less necessary, and the characters were not nearly as transformed. Not to mention that April seems like a dour goth chick this time around, which made me somewhat dislike her. April! I mean, how did that even happen?
In the end, I suppose I was hoping for too much, and expectations are what sink sequels. But maybe we all expect too much, especially when we want to relive the experience that we loved so much. It's the reason that Kubrick never made a sequel and why J.D. Salinger became a hermit and disappeared into a farmhouse.
So, remember my words the next time you're hoping for a sequel: The original was much better.
Tom Rhodes is a writer and filmmaker currently living in Ohio. He can be reached through Tom [dot] Rhod [at] Gmail [dot] com.
