Having played a lot of FMV games in the past I was excited to play The Gallery with its unique two-storyline narrative. So let’s dive right in.
The Gallery is an FMV game from Aviary Studios and directed by Paul Raschid – whose most notable works include ‘Five Dates’ and ‘The Complex’ (which we will touch on later).
The unique element of ‘The Gallery’ that sets itself apart from other FMV games of the past is that its narrative is set in two different decades. One in 1981 and the other in 2021. You get to play as two different characters both played respectively by Anna Popplewell (Chronicles of Narnia, Halo Forward Unto Dawn) and George Blagden (Les Misérables, Vikings). These characters are Dorian (played by George Blagden in the 1981 storyline and by Anna Popplewell in the 2021 story) and Morgan (played by Anna in 1981 and George in 2021).
The basic premise in both storylines is that the character of Morgan is a curator of an art gallery and struggling for money. They see the art they have in The Gallery as a means to profit rather than talent to promote. The Gallery is about to receive an exclusive painting by the characters of Nicky (played by Rebecca Boot) or influencer Ziggy Ray that will go on display the following morning and thus get more footfall through the gallery’s doors. Now depending on the storyline, the painting differs to fit the decade. In the 1981 version, the painting is a portrait of the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and in 2021 a self-portrait by social media influencer Ziggy Ray. The painting itself is a MacGuffin, we never see it but it drives the plot forward and a trope compels the character’s actions throughout the story – like the suitcase in Pulp Fiction for example. An interesting plot device that reels you into the story.
Before I go further there is a clear love for art and self-portraiture in this game and every art piece featured throughout the game is credited in the credits. And that in itself is promoting talent. One of the key aspects is in the story.
The basic premise remains the same throughout both storylines. Morgan poses for a self-portrait by the character Dorian after they break into The Gallery to then find that they cannot leave as there is a bomb strapped under their chair.
Characters’ motivations are the same but tweaked slightly to fit the decade they are in. There are also different characters to fit each decade. For example, in 1981 there are a gang of punk rockers that broke into The Gallery yet this character type and situation was absent from my 2021 playthrough. Instead, I had an angry Scotsman who hung around outside The Gallery causing a stir. This character was also in 1981 yet the message that he was protesting was different.
And this is what the heart of this game is about, ‘The Message’ the reason these two decades were picked for the setting of this game (and bear in mind this is my interpretation) is that there are distinct parallels in the events that transpired in those eras. In 1981 there is unrest in England because of the ‘bloody Saturday riots’ and tensions with the government, in particular Margaret Thatcher. In 2021 we all experienced the COVID-19 pandemic, and while it wasn’t as bad as in 2020 we were still in lockdowns and under a government that I think it’s fair to say that we have all lost faith in.
I won’t go into detail about the events of 2021 as they are all still fresh in all of our memories but you can see distinct parallels in both of the storylines. Even character dialogue is aimed at this.
And this is just a hunch, but after playing through both decades and taking in the story and all the dialogue, I think the makers of this game are not the biggest fans of the Conservative government. The reason I say this is due to the fact that the Prime Minister in 1981 was Margaret Thatcher who was the Conservative party leader and Boris Johnson was the Prime Minister in 2021 who was also the leader of the Conservative party. Yes, I’m sorry, I do apologise for bringing politics into a game review, however, I’m pointing out the obvious here, that this game is an artistic expression of Conservative party fatigue. There, I’ve said it and that’s my hot take. I will now move swiftly on.
Like any FMV game, the gameplay is made through choices. There are scenes to unlock and multiple endings to discover. You have the choice at the beginning of the game whether to have the scene pause when a narrative choice pops up or to have that choice timed. I personally opt for a timed choice every time as it adds to the immersion of the game.
The fact that there are multiple scenes to unlock and endings to discover adds to the replayability of these games.
The acting is top-notch from Anna Popplewell and George Blagden who absolutely kills it as Morgan and Dorian, but hats off to the direction and writing of Paul Raschid. I loved his work with ‘The Complex’ and ‘Five Dates’ those games had gripping stories and characters you could really care about and that goes for ‘The Gallery as well. It feels like a professional project that is worthy of the cinema screen. I say this as there have been FMV games in the past where the budget was obviously low and felt like a TV movie. You can really tell the effort that was put into this project, from the superb writing and direction to the top-notch acting, music, lighting and editing, but most of all the stellar cinematography by Haridas Stewart (who was also cinematographer on Five Dates). The use of dynamic camera angles and gorgeous composition really helped with bringing The Gallery to life and delving into the characters of Dorian and Morgan. So hats off to the entire team of ‘The Gallery’ you did a stellar job!
‘The Gallery’ is up there in the high tier of FMV games along with ‘The Complex’, ‘Five Dates’, ‘Telling Lies’ and ‘Erica’.
If you are a lover of FMV games like me, I implore you to try this one out, you will not be disappointed.
‘The Gallery’ earns a well-deserved 10 out of 10.
Grab your copy here https://store.steampowered.com/app/1884570/The_Gallery/
Enjoy the review? want to read more of our reviews? then click right here to be whisked away to the realm of our opinions.
