THOTH, unlike the Egyptian god of the same, is a minimalist game that feels like playing a work of abstract art. It was created by Jeppe Carlsen, former lead developer on Limbo and Inside. It’s a game of short, fast-paced action and problem solving.
When I first started playing THOTH, I was thrown into a mess of abstract shapes and a jarring soundtrack, the kind you would hear at an immersive or interactive art exhibit. I quickly figured out the circle was my avatar and how to shoot. But I couldn’t move fast enough to avoid the giant spinning cubes hurtling toward me.
It took me a few deaths to figure out that you move faster if you don’t shoot, and with that I was able to avoid the cubes. To kill them you have to shoot them until the colour inside them is drained. But they don’t disappear, they remain as moving black voids, obstacles to dodge as you destroy the other enemies. Bullets go through them, at least.
This is what it is to play THOTH. It throws you straight into the game with no explanation and you have to figure out the mechanics of each new level. Whether it’s barriers that switch on and off as you destroy enemies, to enemies that fire a speeding bullet toward you on death, every few levels introduces something new, forcing you to quickly figure out how it works, and then actually play the level and destroy the enemies.
It takes less than a minute to play most levels, and your progress is saved every four levels. But you will die a lot. It’s a formula that can easily lead to frustration, and yet the game walks that fine line between challenging and frustrating really well.
Maybe it’s the abstract nature of the game, or that it’s not too punishing, or the soundtrack making you feel like you are being sucked into another, far more abstract world. Play it for 10 minutes and you might hit a checkpoint, or keep playing for a few hours if you have the dedication. It’s a game that works both in short bursts and for longer playing sessions.
It’s a strange achievement to make frustration fun. But that’s exactly what this game does. It’s challenging, addictive, and I can’t stop coming back to it.
