Inua - A Story In Ice And Time:
As designers we must become the storytellers for our generation. It is something that we have seen throughout time, sharing the stories of our cultures to one another to gain a better understanding of one another. Inua does just that. It tells a story that intertwines the main characters in an interesting way while basing the plot on Inuit lore. In the demo provided we see an adventure point and click game done in a way that I have not seen before. The way it unravels the story to the player is very interesting. You click on various items within the map to gain insights into them. You can then click on any of the people in the scene. Once you do this the character is taken to what looks like a celestial scene with all the found insights revolving around them. If you click on one of these ideas you hear the internal monologue of the character to gain a better understanding of them as a person. One of the things that really stood out to me in this process was the fact that each person can think so differently about the same idea. The fact that this reflects real life so clearly is frankly captivating. I am so excited to see not only more from this game but from this studio as well. The fact that we are gaining more games that bring in lore from Inuit cultures is amazing to see.
TOEM:
If this past year has shown us anything it is that we need to appreciate our time outdoors more. There are many out there that have this same realization and we can see that now through due to the mass exodus to our wonderful national parks. TOEM catches that spirit in full force. This is an exploration game in which you are searching for the illusive TOEM by exploring the world around you with you handy dandy camera. This game is absolutely gorgeous with its hand drawn graphics and 2D/3D design reminiscent of Paper Mario. The controls run so smoothly and taking pictures with your camera are even smoother. You can frame up your shots and at times have to find the right spot to be in in order to capture that perfect moment. And for all you audiophiles out there the soundtrack just enhances the feeling of joyous exploration. Also, one great touch added into this title is that each song's name and artist is listed at the bottom of the screen when it begins to play. There is so much to explore in this game and every second is a real joy to play. If you are looking for something to relax and take your mind off the crazy world around you this is truly a title to pick up.
The Night Is Grey:
One of my greatest fears has been getting completely and utterly lost in the woods. This title takes that and throws it into hyperdrive. Exploring through the dark woods with the feeling of something constantly lurking behind every corner, then you throw in an abandoned child and a dark mystery that your character is thrust into and you have a truly bone chilling experience. You play as Graham and while it is unclear from the demo how you got here one thing is clear, you want out and you have a past that you are trying to run from. You run into a trigger happy scared girl that is just waiting for her mother to get back from the generator, but she has been gone for quite some time now. So, you aim to help the girl out and gain her trust in order to find out what happened to her mother. The overall vibe of this game is very chilling from the disturbing visuals to the astounding sound design. While playing through this the main thing that stood out was in fact the ambient sound. It was really intense to listen to the world around you. It really hit me when you first meet the girl and she has a rifle aimed at you. The sound of the gun rattling really enhanced the moment and added a pressure that I have not felt in a game in a while, perhaps since Dead Space. If you are looking for a new point and click horror game this is definitely one to keep on your radar.
Written By: Christian