Heed

Year - 2009

Length - Short
Engine - AGS
Suitability Factors - N/A

Heed is the latest in what seems to be a never ending stream of releases this year from Ben304. He seems to be getting better with each one as well, although this latest effort does tread a fine line between being a game and a short interactive novel.

Story

The story is a philosophical one, one of an unnamed traveller whom wishes to make more of his life. The player controls this traveller as he seeks to find his true purpose, a journey which starts with the observation of a strange fly, and learning of something called the source.

The game flows well although the story feels a little empty in my opinion. Nevertheless, each of the events that takes place during the game is intriguing enough to make you want to continue through to the game's conclusion.



Atmosphere

The aspect of the game I was most impressed with was it's atmosphere. Upon entering Heed it is the visuals which straight away grab your attention. The backgrounds are stylish and the character sprites well drawn and animated. Darker colours are often used for the scenery whilst much brighter colours are used for the characters. This contrast works extremely well and the characters visual prominence over the background objects adds to the idea that the game is about the character's journey within, rather than about his physical location.

The atmosphere is further set by the fantastic choice of music. I can't really explain why it fits in so well, just that it does.



Gameplay

If there is an element of the game that opens it self to criticism however then the gameplay is it. The player performs an action by a simple click of the left mouse button. Whilst this is very intuitive, it doesn't allow for much in the way of problem solving. Plus, with only a limited number of hotspots in each location, it is almost always immediately obvious what needs to be done to progress.

That said, there are puzzles which seem well thought out and an attempt at something a little different from the norm. The game plays as though the developer made a big effort to make the puzzles fit seamlessly into the story which is certainly a positive.



Summary

I think my main memories of Heed will be of the stylish visuals and excellent almost dreamlike atmosphere the game possesses. I think some will be put off by the lack of actual 'game' elements on offer whilst others will be delighted by the brisk pace the game keeps up throughout. The game certainly has a more experimental feel to it than many others but it's enjoyable all the same and well deserving of your attention.

Pros
- Stylish visuals
- Great music
- Puzzles it does have fit nicely into the story

Cons
- Little interaction

If you like this, try;

- Anna
- Judith
- Shifter's Box (Another Ben304 game and proof that I'm not just randomly listing girls names!)

Download for free;

Heed

Atapi

Year - 2009
Length - Medium
Engine - AGS
Suitability Factors - N/A

The latest review is of the first time effort from Kristin Moody.

Story

In Atapi, the player is cast as Oko Bokog, a Sakwa fisherman with a horrendous past. His life has been given hope and meaning by his adopted human daughter, Kiri, however when other humans in his village start to contract a mysterious illness, Oko must seek out a Hromu healer to help provide a cure. Oko must also look out for Kiri, and try and make sure she doesn't develop the same condition.

An area I would have liked to have seen developed further is the description and explanation of the character races, how they're connected, whether they're considered equals etc etc. This would have provided more depth and back-story to the game-world allowing for a better understanding of the story and it's protagonists.

Despite this, the story and dialogue is well written, and the personalities of the characters are believable thus making it is easy for the player to feel sympathy for Oko and his plight.



Atmosphere

Indeed, Atapi is a good example of how sometimes a game can be enhanced by not including humour. The game takes itself seriously and the player is more immersed in the story and game-world as a result. The story and characters involved would have appeared disingenuous had the game been littered with wisecracks and references to adventure games past. The developer instead does a very good job of maintaining sincerity, a must if this type of story is to be pulled off.

The use of sound also helps to provides extra atmosphere. The music is good and although the sound effects are apparently not original, they perfectly fit the game's setting.

A possible repellent for players however may be the game's visuals. Despite the excellent choice of locations, the grainy photographic backgrounds will not be to everyone's liking. It's hard to criticise too much though because they do provide the necessary ambiance of the game just fine.



Gameplay

Where it's easier to criticise the visuals however is with regards to their effect on the gameplay. Finding items needed to progress can prove to be somewhat more tricky that it should be, thus making the backgrounds an unintentional obstacle for the player to overcome

As for the nature of the puzzles, the game starts off with a simple shopping list quest, i.e. you're given several items to find and retrieve for another character. Initially the next quest seems like it might be more of the same, however things don't turn out to be so simple. In order to communicate with the various 'Atapi' the player must get to grips with their language which consists of various symbols. Initially this can seem quite daunting, however discovering the words and phrases that each Atapi will respond to is really quite rewarding.



Summary

I liked this game, it's genuine atmosphere and sincere characters provide for an enjoyable and immersive experience. However, some more in-depth information about the world and it's inhabitants would have added considerably to Atapi's appeal. As it stands, I feel the game is only scratching the surface of what could be a very interesting fantasy story - hopefully the sequel will provide more meat to it's bones.

Pros
- Very well developed and believable atmosphere
- Sincere story and characters
- Interesting symbol/language puzzles

Cons
- Scope for wider story not really capitalised on
- Backgrounds may put some people off
- Some items difficult to find

Download for free;

Atapi