Binary Tweed Launches Politically-Charged Clover Independent developer Binary Tweed has finally released the politically-pointed watercolor platforming adventure Clover via the Xbox Live Community Games Program.
Clover may look like a game painted by the hand of a child, but underneath its simplistic look lies a game riddled with political and historical references inspired by the events that led to the Iraq war in 2003. The land has suffered a horrible attack, the people are suspicious of every one, and the government is keep an eye on everything you do. You play an older child orphaned by the attack that must work in order to ensure his orphan payments continue to arrive.
"It's been great to read emails from gamers who have picked up on the historical and political references - if Clover has one objective, it's to make people think." commented Binary Tweed's Deejay.
I've played a bit of the demo, and while it has made me think a bit, it's mainly had me jumping over hedgehogs and nearly dying in a well. The NPC's I've encountered so far definitely sport characteristics common to Americans after 9/11, though the parallels feel a bit too forced. Personally I believe a game doubling as political commentary should be a more subtle thing.
Still, the artwork is nice and I appreciate what the team at Binary Tweed has accomplished with Clover so far. Head to the Xbox Community Games tab of the Marketplace and grab the demo to see if the full game is worth your 400 points.