The game is a single player puzzle-platformer adventure developed by Starbreeze Studios and released in 2013. It has been published for many platforms but I only got to play it yesterday on PS3. This year, a mobile version will be released so those who don't have a video game system will be able to play the game.
The game tells the story of two brothers: Naiee, the younger one, and, Naia, his older brother. It is a short game (I took less than three hours to finish it), the characters speak a strange language, which allowed me only to get their names (and, even so, I went to the internet to check and, guess what: I got them slightly wrong) and the gameplay... well, it may be confusing at first because you have to control both of the characters mostly at the same time using both thumbsticks buttons to move them and the L2 and R2 buttons to complete actions. I should have recorded some videos so everyone could see how messed up my gameplay was at some specific moments of the game.
[If you haven't played yet and you don't want to mess your experience up with spoilers, you may stop reading now and jump to the end of the post so you can only check how I rated the game.]
Back to the story, it starts with Naiee mourning his mother at her tombstone. She drowned during a thunderstorm and the boy couldn't do much to save her. Then, his elder brother, Naia, calls Naiee to help him take his sick father to the village's doctor. Later, they found out that the only way to save their father is giving him the water from the Tree of Life and that's when all the adventure begins.
Even in the Prologue of the game you are able to get a glimpse of what is about to come... and I am talking about how problematic (and funny!) your gameplay might be. Controlling both characters at the same time while exploring the environment will definitely make your motor coordination skills "level up". At the end of the game my hands were working by themselves, but let's not jump to that right now.
As you explore the game, you will face some beautiful views, interact with other non-player characters (NPCs) in the story and even have some time to be mean to some of them. Seriously, the game allows you to steal a basket ball from a child and throw it in a well, making the child cry and you still get an award for it (so, watch out for trophies!). Depending on the brother you chose to interact with the scenario, it may lead to different actions. For example, Naia is strong and can carry heavy things, such as a sheep. Naiee is small enough to pass through narrow bars. Although being mean to them may be funny, keep in mind that some interactions are needed so that you can advance in the game.
Ogres (good and bad ones), wolves, a pause so save a man from hanging himself, even a place destroyed by a battle of giants are some of the things you have to go through, always controlling both brothers. And then, wait for it, you come across a bloody ritual (not to say "satanic". Just kidding!) performed by some weird men with masks and spears. At the altar, there is a woman screaming for her life and blood coming from the wounded corpses of the giants, mixed with the waterfalls, and passing through slits on the floor. The scene is mostly funny because of what you have to do to save the lady. Not saying that here. Really, it is worth figuring out.
You rescue the lady, she helps you going through some puzzles and a giant invisible monster. Then you start to realize that the lady seems to like the older brother... and he seems to enjoy that. I have not enough words to express my feelings about what came next. Turns out she is half-spider and tried to kill the boys. Really? The b*tch uses her web to capture the boys but they are able to escape and the battle begins. As you beat the hell out of her and tear her legs apart, she becomes weaker and the victory looks closer than ever!
Yes, the boys killed her. Yes, they managed to escape. But, right before dying, the spider-woman (argh!) drives one of her remaining legs through Naia's stomach. SERIOUSLY? So, the boys have gone that far, I, as a player, got attached to the characters - because of the strong emotional appeal of the game - just to see it ending like this? I was really mad at that point.
The adventure goes on and the boys, with Naia still wounded, finally get to the Tree of Life. All the way down the road I was worried that Naia could die. Laugh at me, but I could not accept that. Naiee leaves his brother resting by the base of the tree while he goes up to get the water from the tree. He does it and gets back just to find his brother already dead. I paused the game so that I could digest the information. Naiee even tried to feed his brother with the water from the tree but it was useless. That was an extremely emotional moment of the game. He mourns and bury his brother by the base of the tree. He managed to get back to the village mounted on a griffin they were able to help during their adventure. Naiee even gets spiritual guidance from his dead mother and brother to help him cross a river because he didn't know how to swimm.
Naiee gets to his father and gives him the water from the Tree of Life. His father survives and the game ends with both of them at the tombstones of Naia and the boys' mother. Naiee's father starts to cry and the camera moves until there's only a landscape to watch and the credits starts to go up on the screen. "No! No tears! I said NO!", I said when I finished the game.
So, let's rate the game:
XP Score: ✭✭✭✭✭ (YAY!)
My recommendation: YES! Definitely! The game is well planned and really fun to play if you like puzzle and adventure games.
Learning points: Motor coordination skills and, please, watch out for strangers on your path. Also, remember that family is family. Unfortunately, we are all humans and we won't have them forever (or they won't have us).
XP Score: ✭✭✭✭✭ (YAY!)
My recommendation: YES! Definitely! The game is well planned and really fun to play if you like puzzle and adventure games.
Learning points: Motor coordination skills and, please, watch out for strangers on your path. Also, remember that family is family. Unfortunately, we are all humans and we won't have them forever (or they won't have us).
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