It's not incredibly difficult to figure out, though, but the mystery of it isn't really the point (however, I'm not going to tell you what you need to do, you still have to figure it out yourself). Once you've figured out and understand the mechanics, At A Distance is more of a game to be experienced, and it executes its purpose pretty handily.

Creator Terry Cavanagh has stated in interviews and at trade show appearances (Including places like IndieCade and EuroGamer Expo, where At A Distance received Game of the Show nominations) that he wanted to create a feeling of isolation- being alone, even though you're working together with someone who's even in the same room with you, right next to you.

It's almost shocking how well he was able to pull this off- there's an incredibly unnerving feel to many parts of the game, and some areas just completely scared me and made me feel not just isolated, but without any sense of hope at all. It's all part of the art style going into the game. The engine draws things in in a strange way, sort of fading out of thin air a few feet ahead of you, and if you stand around, the room seems to breath, with the colors shifting and a rustling sound coming out of the speakers. The areas are designed to be overly spacious, for the most part, and as more and more of it comes out of the shadows, the sense of isolation is pretty intense. There's even an area that's never ending, and no matter where you go, you'll always be in there. When you stop moving, though, the room closes in around you, and the sound gets louder and louder. I dreaded finding myself in there, and even writing this now sends a chill down my spine.

At A Distance is a wonderful example of games as art. While the experience of figuring out how the game works is something you'll only have the first time through, the game is up there with other mediums by being able to make you have the intended feelings each time you come back to it. The sense of loneliness it provides can be almost shocking at times, and it was surprising at how effecting it was, even at the end. I can't really recommend this game to everyone, but you should try it if what I've said sounds interesting. It really goes to show how games can provide artistic experiences in ways that no other medium really can.