Another World holds up, even in 2023. I was blown away by the games opening, with its well composed animated scenes, rotoscoping, and hefty sound effects that drive home the squeal of a car's wheels, the gentle hum of computers, and the sudden crack of lightning. This other world is sold with its careful pairing of music and visuals, with shots drawn from cinematic technique.
Everything after this cutscene still amazes. There are no words you can understand in Another World, with the story instead being carried by art direction. There's a clarity to every screen, at least with regards to everything important. The path forward isn't obstructed with visual clutter, and important gameplay factors are well telegraphed. Wires visually die out when disconnected. The red shields stand out against the dark purple backgrounds, and even indicate how long they have left with the fullness of their pixels, communicating very important information quickly.
The gameplay of Another World will see players dying repeatedly in incredibly strict platforming challenges and demanding combat encounters. At points it admittedly could be a bit much. Dying several times in a row because I missed a jump brought the pace down a bit, but the game never reached a depth of tedium that made me want to abandon the game. There is the occasional bit of moon logic in Another World, because it is still a narrative game from the 90s. One example is the puzzle where you have to threaten an alien who is trapped in a room with you, which for some reason closes a door upstairs? I couldn't figure out what the link between the two was, and I ultimately discovered it through trial and error. Fortunately, most puzzles make logical sense, even if it takes awhile to figure out. The puzzles actually can be quite clever at times, asking the player to use real world logic to solve these video game puzzles, which isn't something games always test. As an example, there is one puzzle where you have to drop a ball onto a guard to progress. I couldn't figure out how to time the drop but I got it out of sheer luck. When watching my footage back I realized that you were supposed to look at the reflection in the glass to realize when the guard was under the ball. It's extremely clever to ask a player to use reflection, and makes this world feel like its not just a string of convenient video game puzzles all strung together conveniently with the connecting framework of mechanics.
Another World transcends time. It was great back when it released, and it is just as great today. Unlike many classic games where I have to approach it with the tech and limitations in mind, I just can appreciate Another World as it is. It's stunning vistas, charming architecture, and intriguing world make this an unforgettable experience.
Everything after this cutscene still amazes. There are no words you can understand in Another World, with the story instead being carried by art direction. There's a clarity to every screen, at least with regards to everything important. The path forward isn't obstructed with visual clutter, and important gameplay factors are well telegraphed. Wires visually die out when disconnected. The red shields stand out against the dark purple backgrounds, and even indicate how long they have left with the fullness of their pixels, communicating very important information quickly.
The gameplay of Another World will see players dying repeatedly in incredibly strict platforming challenges and demanding combat encounters. At points it admittedly could be a bit much. Dying several times in a row because I missed a jump brought the pace down a bit, but the game never reached a depth of tedium that made me want to abandon the game. There is the occasional bit of moon logic in Another World, because it is still a narrative game from the 90s. One example is the puzzle where you have to threaten an alien who is trapped in a room with you, which for some reason closes a door upstairs? I couldn't figure out what the link between the two was, and I ultimately discovered it through trial and error. Fortunately, most puzzles make logical sense, even if it takes awhile to figure out. The puzzles actually can be quite clever at times, asking the player to use real world logic to solve these video game puzzles, which isn't something games always test. As an example, there is one puzzle where you have to drop a ball onto a guard to progress. I couldn't figure out how to time the drop but I got it out of sheer luck. When watching my footage back I realized that you were supposed to look at the reflection in the glass to realize when the guard was under the ball. It's extremely clever to ask a player to use reflection, and makes this world feel like its not just a string of convenient video game puzzles all strung together conveniently with the connecting framework of mechanics.
Another World transcends time. It was great back when it released, and it is just as great today. Unlike many classic games where I have to approach it with the tech and limitations in mind, I just can appreciate Another World as it is. It's stunning vistas, charming architecture, and intriguing world make this an unforgettable experience.