In my experience, modern adventure games that try to invoke and emulate the classics from back in the day - your LucasArts, your Sierras - tend to miss the point. Yes, we loved those games and nostalgia runs strong. But let's not forget that a lot of what made these late-80ies and early-90ies games "old-school" was down to actual technical limitations of those days. And then there is another problem, almost a pet peeve of mine by this point: The tedency to go completely off the rails while trying to tell a serious, "grown-up" story. The Drifter succesfully avoids the former. It's a game that appears to be old-school but feels pleasantly modern, with some nice quality-of-life touches to that traditional adventure formula. It does jump the shark a bit, story-wise. And I don't mean the sci fi-elements - those are fine. But you need to take care to never compromise the motivation or intelligence of your characters. And, well, not to spoil anything. But there is a moment, shortly after the halfway point, where I wanted to reach into the monitor and slap some common sense into the guys. Good thing then that The Drifter's other qualities make it so easy to forgive this faux pas: The already mentioned modern design choices, the slick art and synth-beats, a thrilling mystery and a brisk - almost cinematic - pacing. All good stuff! One of the best adventures in recent memory.
The water has been long gone. You, a lone wanderer in this arid world, begin to climb an impossibly high mountain, its vertical slopes once a place where people lived and made a living. They are long gone, too, their homes deserted. It's not clear who you or your little blue companion are or why you climb this mountain together. But perhaps you will learn a few things along the way... I absolutely adore Jusant's setting, this freakishly steep, almost pillar-like mountain in the middle of a desert. An outlandish place but at the same time made familiar by the remains of a society that once called this their home. As you climb the mountain you come across dwellings and worksites, read some of the former resident's letters and journals, and start to piece together, in a sense, what happened. The story and lore are doled out with a light touch. You never dwell in one place for long, always staying on the move, always continuing the climb. Speaking of which, the climbing mechanics are well-designed and (when using a controller) intuitive. It's here where Jusant presents a gentle challenge as you have to find the way upwards and deal with stamina while shifting from ledge to ledge. However, being a non-violent and generally chill game, you cannot fall to your death as you are automatically secured while climbing. Jusant doesn't try to be too many things at once. It focuses entirely on its marvelous setting, its gentle story and thoughtful climbing mechanics. It is not very long and it doesn't have to be. A very special game.
Indika - for me - is the antithesis to uninspired, merely market trend-driven and thus ultimately soulless AAA games. (Not saying all triple-A games are like this.) Its scope and production value cannot match your Ubisoft or Bethesda works. But, for being developed by such a small team, it comes close enough. It's got a very clear and unique vision of what it wants to be and what it wants to say - and realizes this vision with remarkable confidence and ambition! I won't spoil any details of the story. Suffice it to say that you play as Indika, a young nun in an alternate-reality 19th- or early 20th-century Russia. Throw in some elements of Steam- and Dieselpunk, some surrealism for good measure - and what you get is a darkly intriguing and oppressive setting to explore questions of faith, free will and the human nature. Okay, look, for anyone who has ever engaged in a critical examination of religion or the church's role in human history, there will be no groundbreaking new revelations. But I still think it's a story worth telling. Especially when it's conveyed by such well-written and -acted characters. Gameplay-wise, Indika is a walking sim with some light puzzling and a few cheeky platforming interludes. Story and dialogue always take center stage. If you're looking for a challenge, this is not for you. It can be finished in under 10 hours, even if you take your time. Which is good; it doesn't overstay its welcome. I admire Indika for its bold vision and would recommend it to anyone at least remotely interested in the subject matter or simply in games that are a bit different.
Hey - you! Still haven't played "Ghost of a Tale"? Because -- even though it's looking gorgeous -- you heard the game's horribly broken? Let me tell you: Now is the time. You do not want to miss this gem! I had GoaT in my backlog for the longest time - and my eyes on it for even longer. But I held back all these years because apparently it was riddled with bugs. Well, after years of updates, it may not be completely bug-free, but what game today is? I can happily report that - after resolving some initial issues when starting the game - I encountered very few bugs, most of them harmless. Even the rare "game-breaking" error was fixed by simply restarting. If there is one word I would use to describe this game it has to be "luscious". The graphics and animations are - even by today's standards - unparalleled. This game is stunningly beautiful and you can see the passion for detail all around. But it's not just a looker. Gameplay-wise, GoaT is a very competent, more-ish action-adventure. As Tilo, the mouse minstrel, you have to escape a prison fortress, which involves a lot of sneaking and quest-solving. It's fun to explore the many corners and secret passages of the aforementioned fortress and its surroundings. The world is by no means huge - especially compared to the likes of Skyrim or Witcher 3 - but not every game has to be. What IS there, is more than enough - quality over quantity, and all that. Also, the game has no quest markers - you actually have to find your way around the old-fashioned way. And I absolutely LOVED that! It does a lot in terms of immersion. If I have to criticize anything it would be the fact that the story feels like only the first chapter of a much larger epic. And that some gameplay features and story elements feel a little bit... well, undercooked. Not bad, just underutilised or inconsequential. But these are just minor complaints to what is otherwise a great game you don't want to miss out on!
I just finished the game and I don't regret buying it. There is so much to appreciate: The gorgeous pixel-art, the music, strong dialog and characters, the world-building as well as the first few chapters of the game. Zootopia meets Film Noir - what's not to like? I read a few non-spoiler reviews beforehand, so I knew that there was this polarizing mid-game shift but I didn't know its exact nature. I suppose this softened the blow? Usually, I'm all for artistic freedom: When working on an original ip (as opposed to an already established franchise) a creator should be allowed to follow his or her vision and not be concerned about what fans would want. This includes subverting expectations and maybe breaking a few "golden rules" of traditional storytelling. But these are the rules for good reasons, so you better know what you're doing! I'm still on the fence about certain aspects of the plot. I won't get into any spoilers, so let's just say that some of the late-game story developments feel random, cruel and ultimately unearned. I'd still recommend Backbone for its first half. It's an impressive debut for EggNut and I'd love to see what else they are capable of.
I was a bit worried at the beginning, because the marriage of adventure and platformer mechanics - regardless of how thematically relevant or intentional this might be - feels clunky at best. The characteristically cheeky humour and self-indulgent meta-references you'd expect from a Ben & Dan game are there from the start. But the controls are a bit unwieldy, the platforming feels not as tight. Moreover, the constant need to switch between the 2 characters - and the change of pace this implies - was quickly getting on my nerves. But stick with it!! For one thing, LotCG is quick to add a few quality of life-hacks after its somewhat slow start to make all of this more bearable. And more importantly: It's incredibly funny AND surprisingly imaginative. Not too spoil anything, but all the clever and creative ways Dan Marshall and Ben Ward come up with to poke fun at bizarre gaming tropes, social media, generational divide and even the absurdity of the human condition. Now, there's a mouthful! But I mean it. It relly elevates this game.
