Thomas Was Alone
Platforms: Nintendo Wii U, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and Xbox One
Genres: Action, Narrative and Platform
Released: April 2013, updated in 2014. Added to this library 6 months ago, last updated 11 weeks ago.
Overview
Control different-coloured rectangles in this simple running, jumping and puzzle solving platform game. It sounds boring and derivative but each of the distinctly coloured shapes comes to life in the game as a character embroiled in this escape story about friendship, curiosity and sacrifice. Like any platform game, you jump, run and use special abilities to complete levels. As you do so, you get to know each shape’s personalities through the storytelling of the quipping narrator.
The simplicity of design makes this an ideal first platform game, while the novel narration makes it a good introduction to how games make you care deeply about even the simplest of characters.
This game is good if you want to harm no living thing, reconsider your body or play your first video game.
Commitment
Players: This is a single player game.
Costs
This game is free with PlayStation Now.
Ratings
Accessibility
System settings: The Wii U has some limited settings, such as disabling rumble and selecting mono audio. PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping). Xbox One has a wide range of system features including some that can be used on all games, like the excellent co-pilot mode... read more.
Similar Games
The following games address a similar topic or offer a similar way to play. They are good options to play after Thomas Was Alone, and also offer a range of alternatives for different age ratings.
The Stanley Parable
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Duration: Between half an hour and 1 and a half hours to complete.
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Costs: Purchase cost.
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Duration: Between 2 minutes and 10 minutes to play a round.
Players: You can play with 4 players in the same room, but you can’t play it online.
Costs: Purchase cost.
HyperDot is a dodging game, where you control a small circle and must move to avoid collisions with other shapes. It sounds too simple to be fun, but the cover design and variation in challenge make it a really enjoyable game.
A Dark Room
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Thomas Was Alone is in These Lists
In addition to the similar games listed above, which have been linked to this game specifically in the database, you may find games with a similar theme to Thomas Was Alone in the following lists:
Your First Video Game
We've found that it's not just parents who have enjoyed the way these games let them in on the world of gaming, but grandparents, uncles and aunts. In fact it's a great list for anyone who's never played a game and wants to know what all the fuss is about.
Free With PlayStation Now
- PlayStation Now costs £8.99/month
- PlayStation Plus costs £6.99/month
- Screen Share – Let's someone in another place watch your game on their PlayStation. PlayStation Plus is not required for either party
- Pass the Controller – Let's someone in another place take turns on a game you own, without owning the game themselves. PlayStation Plus is required for the host, but not for the guest
- Playing Together – Let's you play local co-op or split screen games with someone in another place who has a PlayStation. PlayStation Plus is required for both players
Commit No Violence
Many of them are aimed at children and families, but you'll be surprised how many explore deeper, more mature themes in their narratives, or require just as much skill as a fast-paced first-person shooter. This means there's plenty of offer for parents who might lack the reflexes (or interest) to survive a round of Fortnite.
We've focused on the games you might not expect to be played non-violently here, but you can find the full list at Non-Violent Games Of the Day curated by James Batchelor.
Know Your Body
This is not only an enjoyable way to escape the reality of daily life but a chance to reflect on and understand ourselves, and our bodies, better. Stepping into the shoes of a vulnerable, small or endangered character can help us understand for a short while some of what it is like to be someone else.
Whether this is into the awkward teenage years of Mord and Ben in Wide Ocean Big Jacket, the grandparent-escaping Tiger and Bee in Kissy Kissy, the fractured heartbroken body in Gris or the haphazard movement of Octodad we have a chance to reassess our own physicality and how we respond to and treat other people's physicality.
More specifically, to use body therapy language, games offer us a chance to discover the inviolability of our bodies, personal autonomy, self-ownership, and self-determination. In travel, as Andrew Soloman says, we go somewhere else to see properly the place where we have come from. In video games, we step into other bodies so we can better understand our own and those of the people around us.
Thanks for using our resource. We are editorially independant, written by parents for parents, but welcome sponsorship, partnership and suggestions. It is supported by the Get Smart About PLAY campaign from AskAboutGames.com. For more advice and guidance on video games, also check out my Taming Gaming book.Tweet
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