When we first received our review code from The Game Bakers, I wanted to make sure I gave it the attention it deserved. For those that done know the name Game Bakers, it is an independent studio that was started by two former employees of Ubisoft, and they are the makers of Furi which was released in 2016 on Playstation 4, Xbox One, and Switch.
The Story
The game follows the journey of Yu and Kay who are two lovers that escape a chosen life in the pursuit of happiness. They settle on an unknown world with the thoughts of just enjoying life away. While exploring this new unknown world, their old life catches up with them and it becomes a race against time to stop them. As players progress through the game they will encounter “cut scenes” that will further progress the relationship of Yu and Kay.
Game Play Mechanics
The game draws on several different genres for play style. Players can switch between Yu and Kay at will. Movement feels a lot like Journey where the character glide across the terrain, and once the anti-gravity boots are discovered, players will be able to follow the trails up to higher levels. Through exploring each area, players will find resources to make healing kits, upgrade items, and repair their ship. The map layout is very reminiscent of the maps you would find Metroid Prime where some of the areas are interlinked together. Combat is unique. You can either attack with Yu or Kay separately, or you can use them together in a synchronized attack. Enemies will be weak against certain attacks, similar to that of the weapon triangle system in Fire Emblem. Players will also need to attack and the subdue to bring down an enemy. The strategy for each battle will definitely teach players to recognize what attacks do the most damage to each of the diverse enemies.
Overall Impressions
From the start, players will notice the gorgeous art style and fantastic score. It was definitely refreshing to experience a story that driven by the bond between two people, and the relationship they strengthen through adversity. These are the games strong points. There were some areas that I felt were were not as strong. There were times it felt like I was fighting the controls when it came to gliding and traversing the landscape. In my play through it wasn’t truly apparent how to truly level up the characters which in turn led to me using up more resources for healing than I needed to. I also felt that some areas had enemies that were much stronger than Yu and Kay were leveled for, so it made the battles extremely difficult and taxing.
Overall, I do recommend picking up the game. The story, art style, and score make it worth the play through. The Game Bakers have crafted a game that is great solo, but is equally as good while couch co-op with a friend or significant other.
