And while it has a negative impact on one’s overall perception of the title, it also allows one to notice that the disparity in quality is not just present within the puzzle design, but within the entirety of the game. And such state of affairs can be disappointing, at least to some, as stumbling across an empty cave with four pressure plates, right after completing a set of rewarding puzzles, can be really deflating. Some in-game locations serve the player with vast and expansive cave-like structures filled to the brim with numerous puzzles and/or challenges, whereas others, simply require one to step on a plate, and watch a 5 second long cutscene. And the disparity in quality of the in-game ‘’puzzle’’ design, unfortunately, persists throughout the title. And while some isles, require the player to fly through portal-like doorways, others simply require one to enter a cave, or activate a button – or two. In addition to the aforementioned visual variety, each and every isle also offers the player a handful of puzzles and quests, which have to be completed in order to unlock the aforementioned locations in full. And while some may assume that such approach to world design could result in a virtual realm which is not just repetitive, but also mundane, it has to be said that one would be wrong in stating so, as the developer behind the title, Forgotten Key, has ensured that all in-game isles are distinct and varied enough, in order to offer the player as much diversity as your average anarcho-liberal parade.Īll in game isles can be easily identified by their landmarks, and those include: mystical light houses, ice bound mountain peaks, and remnants of Colossus of Rhodes’esque statue – amongst many. The world of AER: Memories of Old, is composed of numerous floating islands, which are scattered throughout the windy landscape of the title. As the low-polygon models of characters, animals, and the world itself, ultimately allow all the other pieces to click into place, and create the aforementioned realm of wonder, which is in-short, simply impressive. And the intriguing tale which entails the title, is accompanied by equally charming visual aesthetic, which does not only suit the tone of the game, but also elevates it to another level. However, another, ironically much smaller indie, quote-on-quote experience, has managed to not just feature a world with impressive sense of place, but also one which is incredible in its size.ĪER: Memories of Old, is an open world, adventure, which is heavily focused on exploration of its rather impressive, sky-scraping world, filled to the brim with a captivating story, and a tremendous amount of additional lore. Even a title as critically acclaimed as The Witness, struggled with merging both of the above into a cohesive unit. And while some manage to nail either of the two, the other is usually forgotten – and with exception of a handful of titles, such as The Last Guardian, or ICO, videogames either place all their chips on a convincing and relatively believable setting, or awe-inspiring constructions and monstrosities, which in comparison – dwarf the player. Videogames, no matter how expansive or profound, often struggle with establishing the sense of place, and scale.
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