When the arts meet modern technology, the results can get a little blurry between "game" or "experience". Is it any less a work of art because you can interact with it? Is it any less a game because there is no real goal? The answers to these questions are open to personal interpretation and Bla Bla, "a film for computer by Vincent Morisset," is all about personal interpretation.

The multiple chapters of Bla Bla could be labeled as many things, but it is probably best categorized as a webtoy. Bla Bla consists of six interactive scenes that encourage you to explore what can be seen, heard, and clicked until time runs out. Most of these scenes center around one character and the range of his emotions, reactions, and communications with the surreal world around him, which you control. If you want to linger on a particular scene, all you need to do is click the hourglass in the lower left corner and you'll be free to play that chapter indefinitely.You can directly navigate to the other chapters or backtrack to previous chapters simply by clicking a number at the bottom left of the page. There is also a mute button for those who prefer silent films, but sound plays a big part of the changing environments; using the mute feature could potentially alter your appreciation of the experience. I highly recommend checking out the additional content, including a brief description of the creators' process in the production of Bla Bla, as well as some great photos and concept art.

All in all, Bla Bla is a beautiful creation that can simultaneously be mindlessly toyed around with and deeply analyzed from an artistic perspective. What I found most interesting was that although Bla Bla is presented on a technological medium, many of the pictures and figures are hand-drawn or made through stop-motion animation. The combined effect of modernity and tradition produces a unique aesthetic and a visible human touch to the gameplay. Although the content of this game is exceptional, it would be nice to see the substance fleshed out a little. There are often only a few available actions in each scene, so that even the ninety second timer seems too long. By the time I finished the last chapter, I was left with the feeling that I'd ordered a 12 oz steak at a restaurant and had been given a low-carb salad instead. However, it's certainly to the game's credit that the only complaint I could think of was how much I wanted more. Visually appealing and mentally stimulating, Bla Bla packs a great amount of introspective thought into just a few minutes of gameplay.

Play Bla Bla

(Viewer Advisory: While the content of this game is safe and appropriate for people of all ages, it has been known to have adverse affects on nearby cats.)