and Roger Review
and Roger showcases some of the unique powers of games as a medium to convey meaning and emotion.
and Roger from TearyHand Studio and publisher Kodansha is a brief but devastating visual novel that does an incredible job of putting you in the shoes of its protagonist. It's hard to discuss what it's about without spoiling part of what makes it so effective, because the shock of discovery is part of why it's so successful in creating a deep empathetic connection between the player and protagonist over its three-chapter structure. This is a game that demands you go in blind; the less you know, the more powerfully it hits.
A young girl wakes up for what seems like a typical morning. She brushes her teeth, gets ready for the day, and comes out of her room. But something is wrong. Her father isn't there. Instead, a stranger lies on the couch, says it’s his home, speaking as though he knows her. He makes her eat awful food and keeps insisting she take her medicine. Who is he? The initial setup feels like a horror story, but as the three chapters unfold, the heartbreaking truth gradually reveals itself.
The game uses simple mouse-based controls—clicking buttons, dragging sliders—to perform mundane actions. What makes and Roger brilliant is how it subverts these intuitive controls to create intentional difficulty for emotional effect. Simple tasks like washing your hands, brushing your teeth, or even opening a door become confusing, frustrating challenges. Buttons aren't labeled and don’t always behave how you might expect; the controls change and shift without warning. At first, this feels bizarre and unsettling. Then, as the narrative unfolds, you realize the game is brilliantly mirroring the protagonist’s mental state in your own with this confusion. The game forces you to experience the same confusion, the same struggle with tasks that should be simple, the same disorientation. It shows rather than tells, using interactivity to create genuine empathy in a way unique to this interactive medium.
The storytelling approach, bolstered by the controls, makes this unlike any visual novel I've played before. We get mere glimpses into actual events but deeply inhabit the space in the protagonist's mind. Each chapter reveals new layers, constantly shifting your understanding of what's really happening. Just when you think you've figured it out, and Roger does something that recontextualizes everything that came before.
The clean-lined, hand-drawn graphics are reminiscent of a graphic novel, realistic but sometimes expressionistic. Bursts of color punctuate the mostly monochrome style at precisely the right moments. During happier memories, vibrant hues fill the screen. Darker moments drain to greys and blacks. The sparse, carefully chosen palette expertly shifts tone and guides emotional beats. The minimalist aesthetic, combined with simple animations and fluid linework, keeps the focus on the story while enhancing its impact. The straightforward, accessible presentation is a huge strength here.
and Roger is brief, taking little more than an hour to complete. However, the tragic story, all the more relatable thanks to its uniquely immersive interface, left me reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and memory for quite a while after. It took me from fear to confusion to heartbreak, landing somewhere bittersweet as the credits rolled. This game is an incredible emotional experience, and I can't recommend it enough. Go in blind and let it surprise you.
and Roger is available now on Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Overall Score: 9/10
Played on: Steam Deck
