LectureMaster
Member
Just platinumed the game, clocked at 13 hours, I feel obligated to shout out for this game.
First I have to say that the marketing team did a sloppy job advertising what the game actually is. When I first saw the trailer during PS5 reveal I thought it was some kind of racing game that you shoot diamonds to gain speed, that was basically what they showed. Until much later I learned that the game is developed by Giant Squid, the devs behind Abzu, that made me think this gotta be more than just a racing parkour game and gain some interests.
Now I finished game, I can conclude that the game is basically a more focused BOTW experience. Giant Squid makes the huge improvement over their last game - that is, making the game is actually very fun to play.
You play the young female hunter as protagonist, exploring an island at the edge of the world and trying to kill a godslayer that is behind the current doom of the world. The game loop is similar to BOTW - you explore the world to find points of interest, solving puzzles and gaining power, cleanse obelisks then kill the regional boss to progress.
The size of the island is nowhere near the one in Zelda, but what makes it so enjoyable is the traversal mechanics. That's where the shooting diamonds come to play. Normally your sprint speed is quite slow, but when you shoot those talismans, you get a huge boost of speed and can chain them one after one. When get used to the groove, the high mobility and precision control just feel so right. You can do hella acrobats.
What's even better is that you have a trusted eagle companion with you, who can help with puzzles, attack boss, and most importantly, let you glide with her. As you progress the story, you get ability to flap during the glide, which boost your height, up to 10 times (or give you a super high lift). If you don't like on foot, go fly!
Because there is no map or fast travel whatsoever, the not so big open world just feels vast and full of mysteries. To explore the world, find a high vantage point, scout out the points of interest and get there in your favorite way!
I could go on and on preaching : the aesthetics are the devs' bread and butter and the music is very emotional (I am just amazed that the music quality in such a indie title), the puzzles are friendly yet keep me constant interested. But the biggest surprise is the boss fight.
There is no other combat in all parts of the game, such that I did not set my expectation high for the boss. They totally got me. Thrilling battle themes, terrifying monsters, they are epic. As far as mechanics go, I'd say it's similar to boss fight in Mario Odyssey, you avoid being attacked, work with your eagle to dodge, and strike back when bosses expose their weakness. On one hand, the fast pace and aggression require reflex and skills; on the other hand, you can't even die in this game - if you get hit too much you will simply get knocked out the arena, all you need to do is climbing back and continue the fight. Because of this I always look forward to confront new bosses without feeling stressed. To avoid spoiler let's post a boss picture from PS blog.
The rest of the gameplay center around exploring, solving puzzles and putting together the lore pieces scattered on the island to learn the story. Nothing is really groundbreaking but they just organically immerse you so well. Gliding down from high mountains is rewarding itself.
Probably my most pleasant platinum experience this year so far.
If you crave that BOTW immersive experience and haven't played The Pathless, give it go, you will be satisfied. Game as such deserves more attention rather than buried gem. I genuinely hope Giant Squid can one day have a Hades like take off.
First I have to say that the marketing team did a sloppy job advertising what the game actually is. When I first saw the trailer during PS5 reveal I thought it was some kind of racing game that you shoot diamonds to gain speed, that was basically what they showed. Until much later I learned that the game is developed by Giant Squid, the devs behind Abzu, that made me think this gotta be more than just a racing parkour game and gain some interests.
Now I finished game, I can conclude that the game is basically a more focused BOTW experience. Giant Squid makes the huge improvement over their last game - that is, making the game is actually very fun to play.
You play the young female hunter as protagonist, exploring an island at the edge of the world and trying to kill a godslayer that is behind the current doom of the world. The game loop is similar to BOTW - you explore the world to find points of interest, solving puzzles and gaining power, cleanse obelisks then kill the regional boss to progress.
The size of the island is nowhere near the one in Zelda, but what makes it so enjoyable is the traversal mechanics. That's where the shooting diamonds come to play. Normally your sprint speed is quite slow, but when you shoot those talismans, you get a huge boost of speed and can chain them one after one. When get used to the groove, the high mobility and precision control just feel so right. You can do hella acrobats.
What's even better is that you have a trusted eagle companion with you, who can help with puzzles, attack boss, and most importantly, let you glide with her. As you progress the story, you get ability to flap during the glide, which boost your height, up to 10 times (or give you a super high lift). If you don't like on foot, go fly!
Because there is no map or fast travel whatsoever, the not so big open world just feels vast and full of mysteries. To explore the world, find a high vantage point, scout out the points of interest and get there in your favorite way!
I could go on and on preaching : the aesthetics are the devs' bread and butter and the music is very emotional (I am just amazed that the music quality in such a indie title), the puzzles are friendly yet keep me constant interested. But the biggest surprise is the boss fight.
There is no other combat in all parts of the game, such that I did not set my expectation high for the boss. They totally got me. Thrilling battle themes, terrifying monsters, they are epic. As far as mechanics go, I'd say it's similar to boss fight in Mario Odyssey, you avoid being attacked, work with your eagle to dodge, and strike back when bosses expose their weakness. On one hand, the fast pace and aggression require reflex and skills; on the other hand, you can't even die in this game - if you get hit too much you will simply get knocked out the arena, all you need to do is climbing back and continue the fight. Because of this I always look forward to confront new bosses without feeling stressed. To avoid spoiler let's post a boss picture from PS blog.
The rest of the gameplay center around exploring, solving puzzles and putting together the lore pieces scattered on the island to learn the story. Nothing is really groundbreaking but they just organically immerse you so well. Gliding down from high mountains is rewarding itself.
Probably my most pleasant platinum experience this year so far.
If you crave that BOTW immersive experience and haven't played The Pathless, give it go, you will be satisfied. Game as such deserves more attention rather than buried gem. I genuinely hope Giant Squid can one day have a Hades like take off.
