DeVuego

It’s interesting that Scarf’s story hints at something more. There are clues to uncover that there’s more than meets the eye here. Because as a player, I also wanted more. By the time the credits had rolled, whilst there was nothing fundamentally wrong with what I had played. I wish it could have been longer, or maybe pursued additional traversal options or had an extra diverse world to explore. Just as it starts getting going, it seems to abruptly stop, even if you discover the “proper” ending. Scarf feels short, definitely sweet, but also safe. And me wishing it was longer is definitely a deserved compliment, but it also shows that it left me feeling, ironically, a little cold on its overall experience.

Arise: A Simple Story is a delightful mix of stunning visuals, sounds, and engaging story. But there's also a satisfying game underneath to enjoy too.

But fundamentally, Gris is a game, and I get the distinct impression it forgets that at times. It is clearly beautiful to look at, and a wonder to listen to, but I always felt Gris was well aware of these strengths, to the point where I believe it thinks it’s better than it is because of how it looks and sounds, and forgets that within that world needs to lie a game that is enjoyable to play in between those joyful moments. Walking for the best part of an hour isn’t engaging, neither is being locked out of collectables, nor is not being sure if you understand what is going on. Whilst there’s a lot to be said for nailing a strong look and feel, that doesn’t give it a free pass to be average in other key areas. And that’s a shame because the main idea and premise are sound, and the puzzle and platforming elements really improve in the second half. If the experience of playing the game had been thought about as much as seeing and hearing it, we could really have had something special on our hands. Unfortunately, it smacks of a missed opportunity to be the complete package that could have made it a sleeper hit at year’s end.

And so with Stay, what you ultimately have is a flawed, missed opportunity. Its premise does a great job of hooking you in and engaging you from the off. You care for Quinn, you want to help him and learn about his past. And then you’ll come up against a ridiculous puzzle and you might want to throw in the towel. Or if not then you’ll probably die repeatedly, and have to re-read the same text multiple times until you pick the correct response. Had there been a way to skip text you’d already read before, and just gotten rid of the puzzles altogether, this would have been a much more complete experience. And had you been given more guidance at the beginning, and more of a story reveal at the end, it would have book-ended an experience that would be truly memorable. As it is there are too many sticking points to make this a solid recommendation, even though this title made me feel things few games have for a long time.