collectible or times where a jump goes horribly awry and I managed to somehow save it. Moments like these keep the game not only engaging, but offer a unique bit of fun. With your grapple fully powered you earn the ability to grapple onto most any rock face your heart desires. I can daily see these abilities leading to many a speed run video popping up on YouTube.
It really is evocative of an age where you can see the passion just underneath all the bits of code, where you could see the path the developers wanted you to take and then say, “to hell with it” and find your own way. Too much nowadays do big studio games feel dull and lifeless. Great care was taken to keep the game feeling fresh throughout the course of play with the grapple beam not just some gimmick, but a useful tools with a multitude of purposes.
All the good bits aside, everything isn’t perfect. Most notable would have to be from the audio department. While the music is fine, the voice acting leaves a great deal to be desired. Even at its best the voice acting comes of as amateurish and a little lifeless. There were times when the emotion indicated from the subtitles clearly didn’t match what was spoken. I know that hiring professional english voice actors is no easy feat, especially on what I can assume is a small budget, but it really would have elevated the game to a much higher level if they did.
Also, when the game introduces the inhabitants of the other world is when the visuals begin to take a dip. While having them be non-human helps to hide some of the graphical limitations, it does little to help the unnatural deadness that is in their eyes. There is just something about them that just makes them feel cold and lifeless. Perhaps it’s the low poly count of the models or those creepy dead eyes, but it does mar an otherwise gorgeous game.
J. Luis