VIDEOVERSE is a visual novel/reading game in the vein of Hypnospace Outlaw, where you explore a fictional gaming community that feels like a combination of Myspace, MSN Messenger, and small gaming forums. These types of games really appeal to me, and VIDEOVERSE might be the one that nails the specific feeling of those times the best.

I wouldn't have called myself a lonely kid, but I was never super popular, either. Especially in my formative years. I spent an absolute ton of time on gaming message boards, and I made a ton of friends around the world that I talked to on MSN Messenger (RIP), back when the internet was still sort of finding its way and it wasn't a soulless corporate wasteland like it is today. The people I met online really felt like true friends, family in some ways, who I could talk to about anything and everything.

A huge reason why I like these kinds of games is that I'm always trying to recapture that feeling of hopping on the computer and checking out the latest posts on all the forums I was a member of, seeing who was online on MSN, who was down for a game of Yahoo Pool. Back then, "going on the internet" was something you actively did, not something that was just always passively happening in your pocket. With today's constant connectivity and ultra fast pace, we've lost something important from those early days. 

Not every game does a great job conjuring up those feelings for me, but VIDEOVERSE has managed it so far. The main character is relatable, the different communities feel realistic, and while the interface doesn't exactly match the old forums of my youth, it's not too far off either. Nothing will bring back all those good times, but it sure is nice to remember how things used to be when I didn't have a care in the world besides checking to see if my posts had any new comments on them. 

Verdict: Keep Playing

Part of the Game Library Project