strammermax98
The game was definitely an experience I had underestimated at first. In the previous coverage, I was only made aware that it would be a cinematic platformer in the style of Limbo and Inside, drawing heavily on Norse mythology and fairy tales. What actually surprised me, however, is that this game is both magical and deeply disturbing. The premise is relatively simple: a pair of siblings set out on an adventure one night, only for their own sister to be ensnared by a mythological creature on behalf of the Mountain King. The journey after her brings the protagonist face to face with all sorts of mythical creatures that curse surrounding towns and want to get at visitors to the forest. This game is really explicit in its depiction of violence and cruelty, from suicide to child death, many topics are touched upon and just as quickly dropped again. It seems like a roller coaster of cruelty in the context of cautionary tales from Scandinavia. However, it can also convince with magical moments like a walk over pastures and meadows, while ancient Swedish songs are intoned or quality time with little cute goblins.
Although the game has a lot of highlights to offer, I missed the personal connection to the main characters. The protagonist is constantly confronted with new atrocities of this mythology, but heremains noticeably pale. Maybe classic fairy tales aren't my thing, which don't exactly tell their stories like a classic character study. But I was definitely spellbound until the end with which mythological monster or curse I will be confronted with next. Atmospherically, it's an incredible game with a strong horror twist.
I would definitely recommend it, as I didn't see it coming that it would hook me like this.
Although the game has a lot of highlights to offer, I missed the personal connection to the main characters. The protagonist is constantly confronted with new atrocities of this mythology, but heremains noticeably pale. Maybe classic fairy tales aren't my thing, which don't exactly tell their stories like a classic character study. But I was definitely spellbound until the end with which mythological monster or curse I will be confronted with next. Atmospherically, it's an incredible game with a strong horror twist.
I would definitely recommend it, as I didn't see it coming that it would hook me like this.
2021
After Hyper Light Drifter, I was definitely excited to see what Heart Machine (again with Disasterpiece's soundtrack on board) would come up with with their first 3D game. Especially since it's basically a 3D platformer focused on momemtum and speed. And honestly, I was definitely not disappointed.
The premise alone is one of my favorite in video games: The protagonist's planet is about to be sucked up by a black hole, and she descends into the black hole to destroy it. Within the black hole are fragments of worlds that have already been absorbed, connected to purple clouds over which you can surf. An incredibly cool concept in my opinion.
And it plays great and lets you marvel at the beautiful and melancholic world design again and again. The core gamplay loop consists of destroying anomalies with the help of parkoure challenges. Sounds a bit abstract, but that's the best way to sum it up. The problem here is that this loop gets repetitive very quickly and isn't expanded enough with new challenges or more skills. What kept me going were the new worlds, but not the new challenges. Sure, lava floors are used here and timetrials there to add variety to the parkour challenges. But despite that, since the moveset remains the same until the end, a certain routine arises. Get to a new area, destroy 5 anomalies with parkour and destroy the boss. The story is also relatively unimportant; I only noticed the side characters and their fates peripherally.
The world design and general feeling of gliding above the clouds is so strong that I was drawn into this world. And I'm really surprised that, objectively speaking, there aren't that many aspects here that really excite me. However, the movement and atmosphere of the world are so strong that I am simply enchanted. They could have dropped the voice acting and the detailed lore dumping and left everything just as mysterious and vague as in Hyper Light Drifter. Then it would be much more popular with me.
The premise alone is one of my favorite in video games: The protagonist's planet is about to be sucked up by a black hole, and she descends into the black hole to destroy it. Within the black hole are fragments of worlds that have already been absorbed, connected to purple clouds over which you can surf. An incredibly cool concept in my opinion.
And it plays great and lets you marvel at the beautiful and melancholic world design again and again. The core gamplay loop consists of destroying anomalies with the help of parkoure challenges. Sounds a bit abstract, but that's the best way to sum it up. The problem here is that this loop gets repetitive very quickly and isn't expanded enough with new challenges or more skills. What kept me going were the new worlds, but not the new challenges. Sure, lava floors are used here and timetrials there to add variety to the parkour challenges. But despite that, since the moveset remains the same until the end, a certain routine arises. Get to a new area, destroy 5 anomalies with parkour and destroy the boss. The story is also relatively unimportant; I only noticed the side characters and their fates peripherally.
The world design and general feeling of gliding above the clouds is so strong that I was drawn into this world. And I'm really surprised that, objectively speaking, there aren't that many aspects here that really excite me. However, the movement and atmosphere of the world are so strong that I am simply enchanted. They could have dropped the voice acting and the detailed lore dumping and left everything just as mysterious and vague as in Hyper Light Drifter. Then it would be much more popular with me.