The Netflix Sci-Fi Thriller Is A Spectacular Failure That Deserves Another Look
We’ve all seen the memes about “failing successfully,” but did you know that’s exactly what happened to one of the most successful sci-fi franchises in television history? Black Mirror: Bandersnatch was designed as an interactive game, and it received decent reviews that mostly had one caveat: players would likely never have any new or desire to return to this game after playing it the first time.
But we hope you’re ready, player one, as we dive into why this ambitious failure is, very much, worth playing again.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch On Netflix
Despite its decent critical reception (more on this later), Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is often considered a failure because it didn’t accomplish one of Netflix’s primary goals then.
The streamer wanted this project to kick off a successful section of adult interactive video games that would keep players engaged and (more importantly) subscribed.
Half a decade later, that section is nothing but empty games and emptier gimmicks, and most of them are about as fun as playing E.T. on your Atari 2600.
Same Creepy Tone
However, even if the subsequent games were disappointments, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is very engaging. Not only does it match the creepy tone of the series, but this choose-your-own-adventure set in 1984 has many of the same retro vibes that made Stranger Things into a breakout pop culture sensation.
Fans of the series mostly enjoyed its creepy ambiance and killer acting, and hardcore gamers mostly enjoyed the branching paths and multiple endings.
Navigating A Reality?
Speaking of hardcore gaming, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch takes its title from an obscure bit of video game history.
It was named after Bandersnatch, a game that was planned by Imagine Software but never released. That game was even meant to be released in 1984, the same year the series is set.
In true Black Mirror fashion, this makes the whole thing feel a bit like you’re navigating a reality that is just dissimilar enough from our own to seem captivatingly creepy.
A Meta Plot
The plot of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is similarly meta: we follow the adventures of a young programmer (played by Fionn Whitehead) who is trying to adapt a book named Bandersnatch into an engaging choose-your-own-adventure game.
He must navigate a series of player-decided decisions, including whether to work with a major game designer or tackle the project on his own.
How and even when the game ends all comes down to your decisions while playing.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch Reception
When Black Mirror: Bandersnatch first came out, it received generally solid praise from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the game currently has a critical score of 74 percent from critics, but the critical consensus reveals what many consider the core problem with this project: “its meta-narrative can’t quite sustain interest over multiple viewings.”
In other words, while you might rewatch your favorite Black Mirror episodes again and again, many critics felt audiences would have little incentive to revisit the world of Bandersnatch after playing for the first time.
Play Black Mirror: Bandersnatch On Netflix
In that regard, we have to say the critical consensus is completely wrong: how many gamers don’t enjoy checking out multiple endings for their favorite games?
For that matter, how many film lovers don’t dig alternate endings to their favorite movies? Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is an engaging success as both film and game and after you experience it yourself, you probably won’t stop until you’ve experienced every chilling ending for yourself.
