Unleaving

• DEVELOPER: orangutan matter
• PUBLISHER: orangutan matter
• PLATFORMS: PC
• GENRE: Puzzle Platformer
• RELEASE DATE: March 27, 2024
• STARTING PRICE: 13,79€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

Unleaving is a narrative-driven puzzle platformer where each challenge takes place within a hand-painted landscape, exploring the perception and meaning of the world. Despite this game featuring very impressive graphics, sounds, and a variety of puzzles and platforming segments, the gameplay mechanics themselves can get frustrating. The puzzles require pinpoint accuracy, and repeating the same challenges, entering that one flow after making a mistake or dying, can be extremely tiring. You have to wait for everything to reload and then try to solve the same puzzle all over again.

The puzzles in this game range from easy to difficult and are key to progress through the game. For example, you will have to pull a box and jump on it to gain height and climb up, or precisely time the jump while the bison moves on the carousel, which allows you to fly to the marked elevation. In fact, these are very roughly indicated, as these puzzles vary depending on the environment you are in and provide variety in that segment. The game continuously revolves around solving these puzzles while enjoying beautiful colors, animations and a not-so-clear story. In case you get stuck on a certain part, help is offered, which will point you in the right direction, but will not provide a direct solution. In particular, the puzzles are never so difficult that they completely bog you down.

Most of the game is designed with an emphasis on trial and error, meaning you'll likely die several times during each puzzle. The solutions are often not obvious. The controls are basic; SPACE to jump and shift to interact with objects. However, they are often too sensitive or indecisive, which makes it even harder to solve puzzles that require precision in timing or position and often makes the situation even more challenging, such as automatically climbing a box instead of pushing it. These little flaws can make puzzles harder than they need to be.

The developers themselves reveleaed the inspiration for the game name, Unleaving, in the lyrics of Gerard Manley Hopkins' poem, "Spring and Autumn: To a Little Child." This poem begins with the line: "Márgarét, do you mourn the passing of Goldengrove?" According to Hopkins, Goldengrove loses its leaves as the seasons pass, a metaphor for the fleeting nature of life. This poetry gives the impression that Unleaving is a metaphorical game, that is made through the context of illustrations, where the image is more important than the words.

One of the standout features of this game is its exceptionally well-crafted animations. The sound design and music during gameplay are intentionally kept minimal, consisting mainly of ambient sounds such as water, wind, footsteps, and object interactions. These sounds seamlessly blend into the gameplay, enhancing the immersion without causing distraction. Following the completion of each main segment, the game treats players to cutscenes that propel the story forward, accompanied by some of the most beautiful musical compositions. Although the music may be sparse, the game excels in offering diverse styles that evoke various emotions and effectively drive the narrative with stunning visuals.

I was extremely attracted by the different ideas that this game offers. The world is really beautiful, and it's fascinating how all these elements are united in a unique game. For example, you explore diverse landscapes such as beautiful meadows, snowy expanses, modernized places, etc. All this perfectly follows the events within the game itself, and although the game does not emphasize the mentioned story, the texts that occasionally appear are thought-provoking. You simply get lost in the design itself.

Unleaving does stands out for its art, but other than that, I see no reason why you SHOULD play this. However, when smaller developers like Orangutan Matter put so much love and care into their art and put so much effort into creating a game, you feel satisfied knowing that the money you put into that game was well spent. For those who prefer games without intense action, like to explore games that offer something intriguing, or simply enjoy the visual experience, Unleaving offers just that. It is truly a gem hidden within the vast ocean and world of gaming.

Review copy provided by the publisher