Synopsis: Commemorating the best in intentionally odd storytelling, Jawbone.tv presents ten particularly odd gems from the online world. You may recognize some of these from the past few years, while others are a little more fresh. All are bizarro, and worth checking out.
1. MAKIBISHI COMIC - A Freaky Manga Trip
We’ll start out with the trippiest of the bunch: Makibishi Comic. Technically, it’s a Point n’ Click adventure game where you have to find five hidden ninjas, but the unusual eye candy and squeaky gibberish dialects are what really propel things on this freaky Manga trip. Created back in 2007 by Makibishi Studios (their company site is worth a look all by itself for strange points), they are supposedly rereleasing it this summer for the iphone.
2. THE NAWLZ - Cyberpunk Goes Interactive
Let’s be honest, Australians seem to be from another planet to begin with (we mean that in a good way). Case in point: Sutu, the Aussie new media artist responsible for the Nawlz. His artwork is vibrant and original, mixing graffiti-esque with timeless sci-fi vibrations, and in the Nawlz, he brings that art to life on an interactive, layered canvas. The Flash-based experiment in storytelling centers on virtual realities and hallucinogenic drugs, with user interaction dictating the pace.
(Be sure to check out out in-depth interview with the Nawlz creator Sutu, coming out next week. Get our free email newsletter to make sure you don't miss it.)
3. PENCIL REBEL 2 - Analogue Reinvented
Pencil Rebel 2 is an experimental website created by Grzegorz Kozakiewicz that mixes traditional media, like paper cutouts and glue, with the interactive apparatus of Flash. Is it analogue? Is it digital? Who cares, it’s just ridiculously inventive. Kozakiewicz spent more than 450 working hours back in 2007-2008 on this, and it shows. Be patient with the interaction, as it can take some time to understand how to navigate. (Most of the project development was captured and can be seen on his site, well worth a visit if you’re interested in seeing how much dedication goes into truly original stuff.)
4. SAMOROST (1 and 2) - Bongs in Space
Amanita Design is a Czech game development studio that’s built strange story and game universes for the likes of the BBC and the Polyphonic Spree. In Samorost 2 (obviously there’s a version 1 that’s equally good), the visuals are like Monty Python on Peyote, with odd little interactive elements that have no bearing on the actual navigation through the story. Be warned though, this ain’t no shoot ‘em up, and at times it can get frustrating trying to figure out what to do next.