The Peregrination of Criselda dela Vega

When Moonlight Bomber announced he’d made a short kinetic novel over the course of forty-eight hours, I knew I had to play The Peregrination of Criselda de la Vega. With a thirty minute run time, the game is quite short, but it captures a coming-of-middle-age flashpoint between two lost adults. At times hilarious, at times sweet, at times bitter, Bomber nails the floundering feeling of doing one’s best in a confusing world, grasping for reassurances amid changing societal norms, and wondering at the limits of life. The music and blurry photo backgrounds perfectly fit the vacillating moods. If I had one quibble, I wish Cris’ sprite had some wrinkles. In a game about turning forty, the characters should look forty, even in the anime style. Still, The Peregrination of Criselda is a remarkable achievement in such a short time span. If you’re looking for a game with that special fortieth birthday feeling, I do recommend.