Remember, ENA: “All it takes is a place and the right food.”
If you’ve been living under a rock, you ought to know that the 2020s have been the backdrop for a full-blown renaissance of independent animation. From big-budget shows to beautiful one-offs, a bevy of talented creators have all taken their inventive imaginations to platforms like YouTube, Newgrounds, and more to tell stories that would’ve never otherwise come to life. But while ultra-popular projects like The Amazing Digital Circus and Hazbin Hotel managed to secure elusive spots on some of the biggest streaming services, other wonderful shows have managed to extend their reach to entirely new mediums.
Nowhere is the most readily apparent than with the recent release of ENA: Dream BBQ, a full-on first-person adventure game based on the titular web series by Joel G. It’s quite a trip. The series originally skyrocketed into viral territory for its strange mix of artistic influences, its melding of both 2D and 3D animation, and its absurd comedy that combines contemporary internet humor with unexpected wordplay and a charismatic, almost enchanting sense of energy.
But does the surreal antics of ENA translate well into an interactive form? Especially since this is considered to be the next installment of the series itself? Short answer? Yes. Long answer? Also, yes, but here’s why.
Surrealism Is in Vogue
Admittedly, ENA, as a whole, works a lot better visually than it does in words. The original series followed ENA, an asymmetrical girl with differing personalities whose weird antics took her on all sorts of odd adventures, often defying logic and reason in exchange for surreal visuals and a defined “webcore” aesthetic. While the first episode of the series, “Auction Day,” follows the typical format of an animated show, subsequent episodes place themselves within the perspective of ENA herself, with their plot beats playing out as if the viewer was watching a first-person adventure game. ENA: Dream BBQ follows a similar structure, albeit with some significant revamps.
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ENA herself is quite different now — if it even is the same ENA from the web series. Whichever ENA it is, you’re in control of her, and after what feels like a brief dreamlike sequence, you’re immediately thrust into the game’s plot. Upon arriving on a mysterious tiny island through an equally ominous door, ENA is greeted by two delightfully animated individuals: Froggy, a presumably human man wearing a large frog costume, and Dratula, a man who insists he is not a penguin, but, in fact, a vampire.
This isn’t a chance encounter. ENA has been assigned a job: find a figure known only as “the Boss” on a nearby island and kill them. Unfortunately, as a dense cloud of smoke rolls in, the way to the Boss is suddenly impenetrable. It’s up to you to find a way to clear the smoke, starting with talking to the Receptionist who popped up back the way you came. But things are rarely so simple.
ENA: Dream BBQ is nothing short of an interactive art piece. Beyond just featuring a world made up of colorful and abstract characters, you’d be shocked at just how much effort is placed into their distinct personalities and animations. So many unique NPCs all have multiple animation sequences that rarely repeat, with ENA sharing the same distinction whenever you start a new conversation. What could’ve just been two talking heads jaw-jacking each other instead becomes an unbridled feast for the senses. No two characters are alike, and even ENA herself gets in on the strangeness taking place in every exchange of words. It’s equal parts hilarious and eerie — even with some of the game’s more direct characters, you never really feel all that sure of what’s really going on underneath the surface.
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Talking to each of these guys is also how you’ll progress through the game. Side jobs are plentiful in Dream BBQ, and you’ll discover that quite a few of them are linked together in one way or another. A strange white figure guarding a bridge needs someone to stop staring at him. But you need money to get the item that can assuage his concerns. But you need to find some missing pets in order to collect a cash reward first. It makes the relatively small map feel a bit more connected and lively, even if the population inhabiting it is comprised exclusively of weirdos.
The game doesn’t veer directly into horror, but these strange characters do occasionally dip into the world of the unsettling every now and then. Combined with some of the more inexplicable discoveries you can find, you have a game that creates an atmosphere that’s as charming as is it slightly unnerving. There’s an undercurrent of something sinister here. But it’s underneath so much absurdity and strangeness, it’s all the more surprising when it does occasionally pop out.
Unraveling Oddities
Actually playing ENA: Dream BBQ is fairly simple. Barring a few surprises here and there, you’ll walk and jump around while occasionally managing your items and following the few clues NPCs provide in order to progress. Any text that’s relevant to what you’re trying to do is often highlighted in a different color, which directly spells out what you need to do more often than not.
The game actually does feature some branching paths. For example, there are two major ways to leave the first map, and they’re in direct conflict with each other — if you pursue one, you won’t be able to tackle the other. They’ll eventually converge, but you’re given some incentive to revisit what you might’ve missed out on initially. It’s not very long to finish, either. A single playthrough will probably take you a single sitting, if you’re not taking the time to soak in the sights and sounds.
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That’s not to say that you shouldn’t take the time to look around. Secrets, jokes, and discoveries are lurking around nearly every corner in every unique area you visit. Easter eggs tied to the web series, one-off characters, beautiful animations, and surreal sequences are all in abundance if you go out of your way to find them. There are even some challenging achievements to tackle, should you feel so inclined to pursue them. Be warned: They can be pretty obnoxious to unlock if you’re pretty unlucky.
Other than that, the best of what Dream BBQ has to offer is best kept a secret. I dare not spoil some of the weirdest stuff that you can come across, intentionally or not. Even then, odds are, I can barely even describe it in words in a way that doesn’t sound completely unhinged.
Should You Play ENA: Dream BBQ?
Yes. Absolutely. If anything, ENA: Dream BBQ feels like an ultra-slick expansion of the original web series, becoming a full-on example of the very same games and influences that ENA originally borrowed from. It’s nothing short of an audiovisual marvel, and though its length is brief, it hides a gorgeous level of effort and detail that has to be experienced first-hand.
If I had any complaints, the game’s complete lack of manual saves is a bit of a surprise, considering how much you can miss while exploring. I had accidentally progressed the main story while missing out on a hefty amount of side jobs I had already started, and it was admittedly annoying to have to start a new save file just to get a chance to complete them fully. It just seems like a bizarre omission. Hopefully future chapters include the option to save wherever you want.
With additional chapters planned for the future, ENA: Dream BBQ is easily one of my favorite releases of the year so far. Oozing with personality and charm, it promises to be one of the most eclectic yet fascinating indie games that I’ve ever gotten a chance to play. It’s great for fans of the web series. But it even works just as well in isolation of its source material. In so many words, give it a shot. It doesn’t even cost a dime.
You can download Chapter 1 of ENA: Dream BBQ for free on Steam. Additional chapters are currently in development, and they are planned to be a part of a paid release. A Supporter Edition package is also available for around $10, which contains a plethora of behind-the-scenes materials. It should be noted that it will not give you access to additional chapters in the future, though.
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