“Welcome to level one,” the voice of an electronic British lady tells me. “Please stare at the dot with the countdown at the centre of your screen. Please note that any discomfort is intended, the level information is now being burned into your retinas.”
After the countdown reaches zero the level’s outline fades away and you must guide yourself using the rapidly fading after image that’s scored into your vision.
You must avoid the pink areas and guide your icon to the blue circle using the arrow keys. Glance away from the screen for a second and you will lose your ghostly map, often leading to your rapid demise.
The script, too, is quite excellent. The electronic British lady falls into the GladOS camp of narrators, without the supplies of nerve gas and malevolence; a computer that’s testing you while talking to you. And her script fills the 30 second countdowns easily.
Definitely give After Thought a play.
I’d like to see more games that played with our bodies in this way.