Stikir

From David Lynch to Martin Scorsese to Jennifer Kent, these are just a few of the directors that make me desperate to watch everything they create. That's also how I feel about game developer Bilge Kaan. After bursting onto the scene with the weird 2D platformer Indecision, Bilge is back with a bizarre follow-up adventure about creating a new game. It's a short and wildly creative mash-up of genres that gives us a look at the frustrations of game design, while also making a strong case that this is a developer that you should be playing close attention to.

I'm not going to lie; I don't know how to describe Stikir. The official synopsis reads that it's "a game about making this game," and that's sort of what you get. We're told right at the start that Bilge wants to release his next game in six months, but what does that entail? And more importantly, can we shoot the words and make the deadline go away? The answer to the second question is no, but that's not going to stop me from trying.

Unlike the 2D platforming fun of Indecision, Stikir is a lot less focused. This is by design, because so much of the adventure revolves around just trying to figure out what type of game you want to make. This is the kind of game that will literally jump from a platformer to a weird racing game, which will effortlessly transition into an overhead shoot 'em up against a big red ball.

Simply put, Stikir is a series of skits that come together to create a weird meta narrative. That means that you'll spend a few minutes riding a deer while playing Pong with a basketball, get shot up by a monochromatic mosquito and explore the open world while carrying a big, unruly sword. All this may seem random, but it mostly comes together in this 40-minute quest to develop a new game.

Will this appeal to everybody? No, probably not. This has a very specific sense of humor and sensibility that definitely won't be for everybody. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it won't be for most people. This is a thoroughly unconventional journey that left me scratching my head. It's a mood piece that has something to say, or maybe it doesn't. I don't know. You figure it out.

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What I can tell you is that I loved the path it led me down. Stikir feels like I'm crawling inside the developer's head while they brainstorm ideas for their next game. It understands how the creative process can be simultaneously frustrating and satisfying, and this game feels like it's basically all of Bilge's ideas mashed into one crazy adventure. Is it madness? Maybe, but it's also a brilliantly constructed mess that is going to stick with me for a long time to come.

Is Stikir a platformer, racing game, shoot 'em up or a puzzle game? The answer is yes, and it's a whole lot more. This new game from Bilge Kaan allows us to see the creative process in action, giving the player a taste of how frustrating it can be to make a follow-up game. This 40-minute ride tackles a lot of different genres in ways you would never expect, creating a random adventure where literally anything could happen next. Perhaps this won't be for everybody, but as far as I'm concerned, the world needs a lot more games like Stikir.