Arise: A Simple Story Review – Simple and Magical
Arise: A Simple Story (or just “Arise”) is an action adventure game. Developed by Piccolo Studious. Arise is a simple and, as a result, amazingly effective game. I was interested in it the second I saw the trailer. The simple, yet beautiful landscape and animation style appealed to me. I reminded me alot of old school adventure quest games I’d see on the PS1 just very much more polished.
Then, today, I finally got to play it and I was blown away by it.
Plot
Just like with everything Arise has to offer. The plot is really quite simple. You play as an old man who has passed on and re-live his life through his memories. His memories, of love, happiness, loneliness and finally contentment.
Each “level” in the game is a section of this mans life. For example you start out the first level (entitled “She”) learning about this female friend of the man’s who he would eventually fall in love with.
The second being “Joy.” Where you explore the man and the woman’s friendship whilst they were children. The games they played, the things they experienced. You get the idea.
Each level is set in a completely new and unique setting. The first is a snowy mountain. The second a sunny garden with sunflowers and bees you can grapple to travel. The third a rocky and hazardous mountain, constantly crumbling (it’s really here that the time control element really shines through for the first time.) Every path on the man’s journey through his life is different unique and beautiful.
What makes this game so unique and special though is how it’s played. And how you learn more about your character and his life throughout the game.
Gameplay
I’ll start with the unique concept of time and how it works in this game. Due to it not being set in the real world, time bends to your will. You can fast forward or rewind time as you see fit. This is key as it’s how you get around the different levels.
I’ll use the the first level as an example to avoid any major spoilers. The first level is a snowy mountain range with ice and rocks everywhere. If you rewind time then the ice melts and creates small rivers (sometimes with wood floating on it.) if you fast forward time the ice and snow return and you can use the snow to reach climbable rocks you couldn’t get to before.
So you really need to think before you go anywhere. At first the game seems linear and very straight forward but after a few minutes of playing you realise that’s not the case. Melting the ice makes a piece of wood you can float on to get to the next part in the level but there are unexplored areas that need a bit more “out of the box” thinking to get to. These areas often contain “memories.”
Memories are collectable?
In this game they are. During the game you’ll come across spheres of light that you can collect. These present themselves as small snapshots of your characters memories during his time in the area you’re in. They’re collectable and though you don’t have to go out of your way to collect all of them you get the most impact out of the game if you do.
Main Review
I couldn’t put this game down. I was playing it at midnight the day it came out and was still playing it at 2pm. It’s really something that it’s called “a simple story” because honestly that’s what makes this game so good. It’s simply but not easy. You’ll find yourself scratching your head wondering how you’re going to get to the next area, and, before you know it playing with the time mechanic will just lend you the answer.
Because of it’s simple controls, cartoon-ish look and basic plotline people will mistakenly think this is an easy game. It absolutely is not. It’s challenging in it’s own way. It gives you all the answers yet somehow you can miss what’s right in front of you.
The time change mechanic is genius. So many times I found myself (especially at the beginning) thinking I’d gone the wrong way or something only to play around with the right analogue stick and realise all I had to do was meld the snow. Such a simple solution but it totally passed me by.
This game does that alot but it’s not infuriating or annoying in any way. You just realise your mistake do what you should’ve a move on (until the next puzzle has you stumped.)
Arise is a beautiful game. A game with heart and soul. Addictive to the very end and an absolute joy to play. Piccolo Studios put alot of love into it and it really shows.
There’s nothing to not love about it, it’s beautiful.
