Arise: A Simple Story on Xbox One is a brilliantly devised game and it’s been a huge pleasure to play. Yes, there are the occasional frustrations with some of the platforming, but you really shouldn’t let that worry you. It’s a splendid wordless story with a perfect amount of gameplay hours for the price, and it’s right up there with the very best games I’ve played this year.

En esencia, Arise a simple story es un imprescindible del panorama indie de 2019. Una obra que engancha de principio a fin y ofrece un espectáculo audiovisual muy immersivo. Puede que la historia no sea innovadora o que la duración y rejugabilidad sean escasas, pero a veces si lo bueno es breve, dos veces bueno.

Even with some stumbles, Arise is a game that knows what it wants to communicate, and does so with delicacy and sensitivity. I’ve found individual scenes coming back to mind frequently since I completed the game, most notably the moving sequence that closes the game. Accept the dilemma of a few bad jumping sequences, and push toward the emotional core, as this simple story has a lot of wisdom to share. 

Despite very slight niggles over control and getting myself lost, the reality is that Piccolo Studio have delivered an incredible debut full of rich storytelling, tear-filled beauty and unforgettable moments. Their own attention to detail and the obvious love they have poured into this game lift it far beyond the heavens their hero seeks. Whether a debut outing or otherwise, the game is outstanding. They may have also just delivered my game of the year.

Arise: A Simple Story is another example of the excellent health enjoyed by the independent Spanish scene, capable of developing products (such as the aforementioned Rime, GRAY, Etherborn ...) that work in the playable, but also in the narrative, in the technical and artistic. If you are one of those who, like me, believe that the greatest emotions grow from the simplest stories, do not hesitate and embark on the adventure of love and death that this game poses.

Arise: A Simple Story tells an emotional tale with some clever co-op gameplay ideas, but it may not always be engaging for the second player.

Arise: A Simple Story es un juego de exploración, plataformas y puzles en el que Piccolo estudios nos invita a conocer la vida de nuestro protagonista tras su muerte. Mediante preciosos y trabajados escenarios iremos avanzando controlando el tiempo y los entornos a nuestro antojo para ir resolviendo los diferentes retos que se nos presentan. Variado en mecánicas hasta su mismo final Arise : A Simple Story sabe narrar una historia sin hacer uso de una sola nota ni audio, sabiendo aún así llegar al corazón de los jugadores

Arise: A Simple Story is a gorgeous and touching tale of love and loss that nearly overcomes its constant platforming problems.

Ultimately, while Arise: A Simple Story has some wonderful ideas, it’s let down by unenjoyable gameplay. Delivered gracefully without ever needing a single line of dialogue, the old man’s story is particularly touching, featuring some truly poignant moments that will tug on even the stoniest of hearts. And again, the soundtrack alone is worth of praise. It’s just a shame that it’s hard to ever get fully immersed in the narrative; you’ll be too preoccupied fighting with unresponsive controls or impossible camera angles to truly appreciate the old man’s plight.

When I finally arrive at the end of the story — it took me maybe eight hours — I find myself forgiving its frustrations. Mechanically, Arise delivers intriguing time-manipulation puzzles and a flawed platforming system. But more than that, it’s a moving narrative game that investigates the passage of human life and the importance of companionship. It makes me remember to value the loved ones in my life.