Mitoza: A Surreal Curio and 10 Year Old Re-Release

“A toy cannot save a life, but it can save a soul.” –  Robert Dinsdale

Overview

Originally released as a browser game ten years ago, Mitoza has been given a new lease of life with a 2021 re-release on mobile and PC. This surreal choose-your-own-adventure curio begins with a seed and allows players to explore a variety of looping paths full of peculiar happenings.

Gameplay and Narrative

Mitoza begins with a seed and the player is presented with two options on the left and right of the main content, the first of which are represented with a plant pot and a bird and the results are as one might expect. However, choices after this are less clear and have much more unexpected consequences. For example, choosing an upside-down carrot caused carrots to sprout from the ground in reverse and the egg (formerly a seed) to grow a drill and penetrate the earth!

Each available path eventually ends with a seed, restarting the loop and allowing players to explore different option combinations. There are a good number of choices to explore; the experience remains entertaining throughout, ranging from charming, to bizarre to gruesome. The many short and amusing paths each tell a little nonsensical story of the lifecycle of the seed and these make up the narrative aspects of Mitoza.

Styling

Mitoza has a somewhat minimal but very effective 2D art style mixing photos with more cartoon-like images and charming animation. The way in which the various images are composited and the surreal nature of the scenes are reminiscent of Terry Gilliam‘s animation and really suits the style and tone of the game.

There is no music in Mitoza but the vast array of sound effects are used cleverly and liberally, really bringing the scenes to life and adding to the unexpected nature of the different events.

Summary

Mitoza is a unique and casual experience with plenty to offer. Its surreal narrative and aesthetic, simple mechanics and branching paths will easily entertain players for 30 minutes to an hour. While it may not be to everyone’s tastes it will appeal to a wide range of players and with zero cost there’s little reason not to try this game!

Looking for more curios to play with? Take a look at these reviews:
Moncage – Sizeable – Assemble with Care – TraptionBakery

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