roytheboy
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Indie gamer and streamer. Tracking and reviewing the games I play with all of you!
Indie gamer and streamer. Tracking and reviewing the games I play with all of you!
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This review contains spoilers
What a game! What a beautiful, beautiful game!
What Remains of Edith Finch is everything I love about indie games. It lovingly and beautifully tells an interactive story that pulls you along each step in an engaging and often emotionally powerful way.
Before you read another word, I recommend you go into this one blind. This is a beautiful game that should be experienced. The only thing you should know going in is that it will hit you emotionally, so be in the right mindset for it. Otherwise, please go in blind.
With that out of the way, what did I love about this game? It's stunningly beautiful. It was created and crafted with so much care! Each part of the story pivots from style-to-style depending on the narrative and each one fits perfectly with the story being told. I never got bored with the art, even as it often changes wildly to suite the characters.
The gaming part is minimal, but wonderful. this is fundamentally a walking simulator, but there is enough nuance, discovery, and interaction to make it consistently interesting and a fun experience. I never became bored with the gameplay. That's a huge win with these kinds of games, they often drag at parts or get boring or repetitive, but this one never does.
The other thing that got me about this game is how hard it hits. In such a short amount of time I loved these people, I wanted the best for them. And over-and-over again you fall in love, dive deep into these stories, and are crushed by their ending. No one leaves unscathed. What wonderful storytelling. What an AMAZING creation from Giant Sparrow. It is not easy to write a story this well, and they nailed it (over and over again).
As for dislikes, there aren't many. The only thing I would have liked to see is more answers to a few of the stories. Two, maybe three of the stories are left open ended, and I would have liked them wrapped up a bit more - one story in particular had an opportunity to provide answers to the lose ends and instead gives us nothing. It would have been nice if there was something in the house providing hints at what really happened.
But honestly? Those critiques are very minor. And in writing this review I've changed it from a 4.5 to a full 5.0. This was everything I want in this kind of a video game and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Thank you, Giant Sparrow. I'll definitely be playing your other game and watching out for whatever comes next!
What Remains of Edith Finch is everything I love about indie games. It lovingly and beautifully tells an interactive story that pulls you along each step in an engaging and often emotionally powerful way.
Before you read another word, I recommend you go into this one blind. This is a beautiful game that should be experienced. The only thing you should know going in is that it will hit you emotionally, so be in the right mindset for it. Otherwise, please go in blind.
With that out of the way, what did I love about this game? It's stunningly beautiful. It was created and crafted with so much care! Each part of the story pivots from style-to-style depending on the narrative and each one fits perfectly with the story being told. I never got bored with the art, even as it often changes wildly to suite the characters.
The gaming part is minimal, but wonderful. this is fundamentally a walking simulator, but there is enough nuance, discovery, and interaction to make it consistently interesting and a fun experience. I never became bored with the gameplay. That's a huge win with these kinds of games, they often drag at parts or get boring or repetitive, but this one never does.
The other thing that got me about this game is how hard it hits. In such a short amount of time I loved these people, I wanted the best for them. And over-and-over again you fall in love, dive deep into these stories, and are crushed by their ending. No one leaves unscathed. What wonderful storytelling. What an AMAZING creation from Giant Sparrow. It is not easy to write a story this well, and they nailed it (over and over again).
As for dislikes, there aren't many. The only thing I would have liked to see is more answers to a few of the stories. Two, maybe three of the stories are left open ended, and I would have liked them wrapped up a bit more - one story in particular had an opportunity to provide answers to the lose ends and instead gives us nothing. It would have been nice if there was something in the house providing hints at what really happened.
But honestly? Those critiques are very minor. And in writing this review I've changed it from a 4.5 to a full 5.0. This was everything I want in this kind of a video game and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Thank you, Giant Sparrow. I'll definitely be playing your other game and watching out for whatever comes next!
This is an excellent Portal fan game. Truly, one of the greats. If you love the Portal series, I'd recommend picking this one up. It does some really interesting things while looking to fill the gaps between Portal 1 and 2. At times, this feels exactly like a Portal game. The comedy, the weird characters, the puzzles. It all fits so well! At other times, it falls just short of what it needs to be.
First, what did I love? I love that it feels like a Portal game. I love that it presents difficult, but not impossible puzzles. I love that it comes up with new mechanics for how to use the pieces that exist in Portal 2. I love the three new characters you get to spend time with, their backgrounds, and evolution as characters.
What didn't I like? Some of the writing falls flat, specifically motivation of one character feels...unearned? It's too bad because I felt the story was very close, a few more moments of dialogue to build out the character and hint at their backstory would have made a big difference. There was also one puzzle that was, honestly, impossible. You have to stand in a specific spot to get the portal to work, going against every other puzzle in the whole game. I really frustrated me and I eventually had to look up the solution (but only to that one puzzle). It also drags a bit at times. Without the story driving it, its just a series of puzzles - sometimes for a reason and sometimes not. Valve was really, really good at walking that line and these creators come close, but don't quite hit it.
In the end, I really enjoyed this playthrough. I enjoyed the new atmosphere, puzzles, characters...all of it really. And if you love the Portal games, I think you'll really like this one. But you won't love it, and that's where my rating falls off a bit.
First, what did I love? I love that it feels like a Portal game. I love that it presents difficult, but not impossible puzzles. I love that it comes up with new mechanics for how to use the pieces that exist in Portal 2. I love the three new characters you get to spend time with, their backgrounds, and evolution as characters.
What didn't I like? Some of the writing falls flat, specifically motivation of one character feels...unearned? It's too bad because I felt the story was very close, a few more moments of dialogue to build out the character and hint at their backstory would have made a big difference. There was also one puzzle that was, honestly, impossible. You have to stand in a specific spot to get the portal to work, going against every other puzzle in the whole game. I really frustrated me and I eventually had to look up the solution (but only to that one puzzle). It also drags a bit at times. Without the story driving it, its just a series of puzzles - sometimes for a reason and sometimes not. Valve was really, really good at walking that line and these creators come close, but don't quite hit it.
In the end, I really enjoyed this playthrough. I enjoyed the new atmosphere, puzzles, characters...all of it really. And if you love the Portal games, I think you'll really like this one. But you won't love it, and that's where my rating falls off a bit.
Sable was very cute with an extremely strong opening and a solid ending. I really enjoyed traveling around the world, exploring the different people within it, trying to figure out what I was going to become.
One of my favorite moments comes at the very beginning when a member of your village encouraging you on your journey say, "You're going to love it out there, even when you don't." And WOW, that blew me away! What a succinct and beautiful reminder of how we look back on the good and bad times in our lives - especially when we are younger. The game is chock full of that sort of stuff and I really enjoyed hearing it, digesting it, and talking it through with my friends.
Also, the art is beautiful. The style is simply perfect for this sort of adventure and I loved looking at the beautiful world they created for Sable.
A few critiques you should know about going in though: First, it's buggy. Really buggy. Even this many years later it has its hiccups. Nothing game breaking, but its noticeable. Second, the game gets a bit grindy in the latter third. If you want to do everything, you're going to be grinding, which feels like an imposition in this game. I should be exploring and enjoying not grinding. Better explanations on what you need to do next would go a long way. Finally, the while beautiful, at times and in certain locations the colors all blend together and the world loses definition. Mostly at "dusk". I had trouble seeing a few times and some of my vision impaired friends really struggled with this.
Still, with all that, Sable is a great little indie game with a good story and some nice meat to chew on as you step into life. I would 100% give this game to someone entering into college or who is struggling to figure out what's next.
One of my favorite moments comes at the very beginning when a member of your village encouraging you on your journey say, "You're going to love it out there, even when you don't." And WOW, that blew me away! What a succinct and beautiful reminder of how we look back on the good and bad times in our lives - especially when we are younger. The game is chock full of that sort of stuff and I really enjoyed hearing it, digesting it, and talking it through with my friends.
Also, the art is beautiful. The style is simply perfect for this sort of adventure and I loved looking at the beautiful world they created for Sable.
A few critiques you should know about going in though: First, it's buggy. Really buggy. Even this many years later it has its hiccups. Nothing game breaking, but its noticeable. Second, the game gets a bit grindy in the latter third. If you want to do everything, you're going to be grinding, which feels like an imposition in this game. I should be exploring and enjoying not grinding. Better explanations on what you need to do next would go a long way. Finally, the while beautiful, at times and in certain locations the colors all blend together and the world loses definition. Mostly at "dusk". I had trouble seeing a few times and some of my vision impaired friends really struggled with this.
Still, with all that, Sable is a great little indie game with a good story and some nice meat to chew on as you step into life. I would 100% give this game to someone entering into college or who is struggling to figure out what's next.