Widespread respiratory infection? Just the escapism I needed from COVID-19! The atmosphere and aesthetic of this game were what I enjoyed most. The look and sound of Shardlight kept me interested even when the gameplay faltered. What let the game down was familiar plot points as it plodded along its linear narrative. This was frustrating after the first scenes seemed to set Amy Wellard up for a choice between three factions - perhaps siding with one only to double-cross them later? Alas, I quickly realised that for almost the entire game you have no real choice at all. Flimsy characterisation also hurt the story. With stronger writing I felt there were a few moments that could have achieved a bit of emotional weight instead of being weightless. Enjoyable voice acting made me wish characters had more to say, especially the intriguing villain Tiberius who I thought had a lot more mileage in terms of both character and plot. More detail and activity relating to the rest of the Aristorcracy would have lifted the game, as everything else in the setting was overly familiar. The puzzles were straightforward, but luckily I wasn't looking for anything taxing. A few were fun and inspired, but sadly you're more often forced to just shoot at a buttons or switch that is just out of arms reach. Seriously. "My trust crossbow. I've got ONE bolt/I've got TWO bolts." For someone constantly low on ammo Amy Wellard is surprisingly trigger happy - not even pausing to pick up bolts that probably landed nearby! The worst moments of this game were when I could predict at the start of a scene/puzzle that I would definitely be shooting something out of reach, rather than having to think of a solution. Overall an enjoyable experience, if brief. I haven't played many clicky adventure games before, but if I had I'm sure I would have found it underwhelming. I did enjoy it enough to check out Wadjet Eyes other titles, and I'd certainly be interested in a more expansive sequel to Shardlight.
