I found The Wreck just casually sifting through the PS Store on a random weeknight and decided to pick it up. The first thing that drew me in was the art style. Part conventional visual novel, part comic book and part stop motion, the one thing that the visuals never stopped being in The Wreck were impressive. It may take a second to stop expecting the characters' mouths to sync with dialogue but I got over it quickly. The character models, movements and locations may not be photo-realistic but they're still striking. Atmosphere and style can be so crucial in helping to get the audience to buy into the world you're setting up and Pixel Hunt certainly achieved their goal here.
The true strength of The Wreck comes in the form of its layered characters and emotionally charged plot. One of the common criticisms I saw from other reviewers is that our protagonist Junon is "unlikeable." I never saw it that way, she can be self-absorbed and short-tempered but she's also very real. We all like to pretend we're truly virtuous and mature but those kinds of people are much more rare in life than we'd like to acknowledge. I felt like I understood Junon almost immediately and just like everyone else in this game, she's a flawed character that's struggling under a metaphorical mountain of grief. I never stopped rooting for her to make peace with what had happened and find the closure she so desperately sought. From her mother, to her sister, to her ex-husband, no one's motivation or rationale is simplistic or too basic. The Wreck puts the work into making you care about everyone's fate and helping you see the humanity in all of the characters but especially Junon.
Moving onto the story, we meet Junon on one of the worst days of her life. Her mother has suffered an aneurysm and Junon has been deemed as the caretaker for her decisions medically as she cannot do so herself. Everyone has an opinion on what she should do but Junon isn't so sure. Her relationship with her mother is rocky at best and dreadful at worst. She helps bring us in by telling us stories about her life, they're usually tinged with regret and sadness but they show why she is deservedly guarded, angry, sad and confused by this turn of events. Both the flashbacks and the events that are currently happening to her are all relevant, expertly told and deeply heartfelt. They're almost episodic but man do they pack a punch. A quick and easy solution to Junon's problems is not possible and the game commits to showing its audience all the angles on Junon's grief in an unflinching manner. I can't claim it's flawless (more on that later) but I was awestruck by how ambitiously and well-crafted they chose to tell this nuanced story.
As much as this game surpassed my expectations, there were a couple of small quibbles I have to share too. The first is that while this game is meant to be wandered through as opposed to sprinting through, it did drag a little for me closer to the end. The Wreck isn't a long game but it does require patience and I admittedly was starting to get a little anxious before the climax. If I felt that way, I'm sure I won't be the only one. The other aspect I wanted to mention is that while I liked the idea of using the titular "wreck" as the framing device for the game, it does get repetitive. Even though the scene is appropriately tense and jarring, it lost a little oomph after 10-15+ times.
If you haven't guessed already, I think this game is a home run. It certainly won't be for everyone, a visual novel that's 4-6 hours long that is also so unabashedly fervent about trying to wring tears out of its own audience. I'd describe that as niche. But I rode the emotional roller-coaster that this game is and I laughed, teared up and was ultimately moved by parts of it. I cant say it's the best game in this genre (What Remains of Edith Finch is still the king) but it's a steal at its price point and my favourite kind of pleasant surprise. If you want to "feel all the feels" and travel through an affecting but sadly believable story of grief and growth through emotional pain, The Wreck is definitely worth your time.
