#lander 23

[my-burnt-city]

i've been a devoted punchdrunk fan since 2007 and literally the only thing about lander 23 that appeals to me is the opportunity to be back in troy, even though it's a completely different story genre and sounds like it makes zero sense that it's taking place in troy. obviously felix can do what he wants and no one gets to make his decisions but him, but live-action video games are not what his core audience wants and it sucks for me specifically that my eighteen-and-a-half-years-long love affair with this incredible theatre company feels like we're having a little break while we try seeing other people, but maybe we're not going to get back together after the break this time (although of course i am going to hold out hope forever that we may find our mutual spark again, and i expect i will book lander 23 at some point, it's just extremely low priority right now)

[my-burnt-city]

Punchdrunk have (re?)launched their online shop!

Punchdrunk's Shop

Explore our range of unique gifts, prints and other merchandise for Punchdrunk's productions. Every purchase supports our work.

I fear they have somewhat overestimated how interested people might be in Lander 23 merch while simultaneously underestimating just how much the people fuckin love an enamel pin

[my-burnt-city]

me: "i love punchdrunk because even in a market saturated with imitators, they still lead the way with unique experiences and world-class performers"

punchdrunk: "what if bridge command but SCARY (and probably no performers)"

[te-pu-si-ti]

Lander 23

It's fun. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a great time playing hide & seek in that lushly detailed space.

But if it wasn't Punchdrunk, and it wasn't there, would I care anything about it?

Not really. It's pricey for what it is, the game mechanics are basic, and there's no story to speak of. It's got adrenaline, but not emotion.

We are officially out of previews, and it still feels rough around the edges. Or, really, it feels uneven: some bits are lovely and polished, and some bits seem to have been slapped together.

And I was really hoping they would give us a story. That's what sets PD apart.

And where there may be hints of something under the surface, there's no opportunity to dig deeper. At TBC, I always felt that I would be rewarded for paying attention, for doing research, for learning more about the world. I always felt assured that there was more to find, more connections to draw, more to learn, even if I didn't yet understand it. Now, when the set is literally pulled from another story to use in this one, I feel no such confidence that anything is intentional or worth delving into.

I'll be back, I'm sure. But it will be because of Troy, not because of Lander. It will be because of what was, not what is or will be.