Timo Sutton

This 3-d first person game was released in 1996. The interesting thing about this game is it is one of the few first-person games out there that is not an action title. No FPS to be found here, rather it is a point-and-click adventure title.

The cover for Normality featuring the hero, Kent Knutson

I remember this game fondly, it came out when I was almost done with highschool and was fully in the throughs of angst and cynicism. The overall plot was a parody of our government and many conservative witch-hunting groups and their assertation that grunge and metal (much like every other music genre before them) was destroying our youth and that video games were only increasing our decent into hell.

It starts Kent Knutson, recent parole who was imprisoned for whistling a happy song while walking down the street. The game starts with Kent under house arrest, instructed to watch television until he becomes more complient. You see, the city of Neutropolis has a blanket ban on all things happy and individualistic. It forces the citizens to listen to music from the 1950's (a better time) and the only tv channel is a 24-broadcast of a man telling everyone how happy they are to live in Neutropolis (much like Half-Life 2). While in prison Kent gets wind of a rebel group (ie teenagers) who are bent on overthrowing the government and encouraging individuality in the citizens.

Players control the hero either by hotkeys or by using the Kent Voo-doo Doll, shown here.

Despite it being a pretty goofy parody, the game is actually quite hard. The puzzles and riddles require you to think like a member of this police-run government (a "normie") on your quest to find out exactly who is running the show.

This game pokes fun of just about every vice conservative groups have against music, video games, D&D, and pop culture on the mid-to-late 90's.

Have a normal day.