Lost Ember Game Review – Worth the hype?
Lost Ember is a game that I was very very excited by when I saw the trailer for it released during E3 2019. And I’m very glad to say, it not only met my expectations but blew them out of the water.
Developed and published by Mooneye Studios. The game was funded in 2016 through kickstarter.
Plot
You play as a character who has died but whose soul has not passed on to the next life. Stuck in limbo and not allowed to move on. You meet another spirit who needs to unlock the secrets of the past to move on too. Together you go on an adventure through the ruins of the world to find the city of Machu Kila. The hometown and ancient capital of the Inrashi people, your wolf’s tribe.
Finding it in ruins, you and your companion must set off to discover what happened in the past to your ancient and beloved civilisation in order for you both to move on.
Gameplay
This is where the game gets really good. The story is great and very interesting. You find yourself invested in how these people suddenly disappeared from the world and what it means for our main characters. But the gameplay is really where this game sets itself apart from others.
You play initially as a wolf but quickly find out you can transfer yourself (your soul I guess) into that of almost any other animal you see roaming around your world. You can be a mole, fish or bird and you can find and explore new areas based on what you pick.
Some areas are impossible for a wolf to get to? No problem, find a bird transfer your soul and get there that way! It’s extraordinary.
What’s even more extraordinary is the way these animals control. Every single one of them controls totally differently to the other. This means that the controls you use to play the game will change based on what animal you are and naturally will make things harder or easier depending on your choices. It keeps the game exciting and fresh. You’re always learning and having to re-learn things you already know, because you’ve not been a fish for a while for example.
You can feel that the movement for the fish and the mole are different because of the different sensitivities to controls and differences in actions.
Review
There wasn’t much to say about this game except that it’s excellent. The body changing mechanic could easily have just been used as a gimmick but it isn’t. Everything has been considered with each respective animal. From the way they move to the way they interact with their environment, even down to how the environment in interacts with them. It makes the world you explore that much deeper and more full because it feels alive. The story is captivating and the more you learn about your respective characters the more you’re desperate for a happy ending for them both.
This is an amazing game. It’s simple but with just enough depth and lore to give it a complexity it desperately needs in order for it not to come off as “gimmicky.” It handles that balance well. And it’s obvious alot of time, love and attention have all gone into this masterpiece.
