Coin: A Tale of Two Sides 4+

From the visionary mind of one of this era’s great game creators comes his best work yet. When everyone thought it couldn’t be done, Gilbert Rosal laughed in their faces. He set out with the optimistic goal of creating a game, no, an transcendent experience tackling society’s greatest current dichotomy: the need for community and camaraderie in this dark time versus the many things that separate us from each other.
Through the rigorous level design the user is challenged with the competing wills of the two characters of which they control. This tug of war teaches the player that the things that separate us in the real world such as race, physical separation, and of course being tethered to another human being that has to mimic all of your movements but has 180 degree different gravitational pull than you are trivial.
The world is immersive, yet poignantly simple. The untrained eye may see a wall or a gap in a 2-D platform, but to Mr. Rosal, these barriers and voids mean much more. This game truly took everything out of me, but only by being broken down can we rebuild. I would give 6/5, but alas, it is forbidden. I will be watching young Mr. Rosal’s future career closely.

I have played video games in my life, but Coin: A Tale is Two Sides redefines what a video game is. The artistry, the technical prowess, the way it pierces the barriers to the heart, the way it opens the mind to the world all transport the gamer into a magical realm unbounded by constraint and encompassing all. Through the game I’ve gone on every journey, felt every emotion, contemplated every thought, and more. Ultimately, Coin: A Tale is Two Sides is the total human experience and so much more. Must experience. 5 stars.

In the lows of social distancing, the highs of beating a brain-splitting level in this game -nay work of art - is like no other. While the two characters in this game are a world apart, at points they are right next to each other, prompting the warm nostalgia of being close to a missed loved one... maybe an old roommate from the college you’ve since had to depart.