''Total Distortion'' is a 1995

full motion video Full-motion video (FMV) is a video game narration technique that relies upon pre-recorded video files (rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models) to display action in the game. While many games feature FMVs as a way to present information duri ...

adventure game An adventure game is a video game genre in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and/or puzzle-solving. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based m ...

for

Mac Mac or MAC most commonly refers to: * Mac (computer), a family of personal computers made by Apple Inc. * Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth * A variant of the word macaroni, mostly used in the name of the dish mac and cheese * Mac, ...

and

Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for ...

, developed by Pop Rocket.

Gameplay

The gameplay has the player as a

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...

entrepreneur in the "Distortion Dimension", a place where they fight "Guitar Warriors" in guitar battles. The goal of the game is to get fame points, make money, and film successful music videos. The game was also known for its sense of humor; the famous game over screen featured the enemy singing a song called "You Are Dead". One of the most distinctive features of the game was the sleep mode. When player went to sleep, a dream appeared which consisted of a minigame. If the player failed the dream sequence it would result in a nightmare, which decreased mental energy (an important stat in the game).

Development

Originally slated for Q4 1993, the game was delayed until November 1995. The programming of this game was headed up mostly by Joe Sparks, creator of '' Radiskull and Devil Doll'' and '' Spaceship Warlock''.

Story

Six years before the player's journey to the Total Distortion Dimension began, an alien artifact was discovered by the U.S. government, who learned the technology was a transportation device that could teleport any object to any place in a single instant. The technology, however, was not perfect, with large objects requiring large amounts of power, and organic beings forced into a state of coma for six weeks upon using the device. After some time, the government discovered methods of safe dimensional travel. However, what they found next was quite shocking. Rather than finding foreign alien life on other worlds, the teleportation technology took them to different realities of Earth where certain forms of

Pop Culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ...

flourished, ranging from cartoons and comics to genres of music, created from the dreaming minds of their youth. When the player's head producer died, his will entrusted the player with 3 million dollars. Given the stale state of pop culture on this Earth, the player sets out to the Total Distortion Dimension to bring back music videos to Earth.

Reception

It was critically acclaimed for being innovative and creative.joesparks.com
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References

External links

*{{MobyGames, id=/total-distortion *Sparks, Joe

''JoeSparks.com'',

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...

? 2007. Accessed June 26, 2007.
Salon.com review

1995 video games Adventure games Full motion video based games Classic Mac OS games Music management games Video games featuring protagonists of selectable gender Video games developed in the United States Video games about parallel universes Windows games