“Unravel” is a new platforming video game published by Electronic Arts and developed by a small studio based in Sweden, Coldwood Interactive. In which this game is their first major release outside of smaller projects done before.
The game was announced at the E3 press conference last year and was released on Feb. 9.
In this game, the player takes the role of a small character that’s made entirely of yarn, his name is literally “Yarny.”
The premise of the game is to adventure through 10 levels while completing various puzzles and obstacles, in order to find the pieces to a scrapbook.
The game is unique when it comes to the main character and the way the player navigates levels.
Its strongest point is its world and music played throughout the four to five hour journey. The game is beautiful graphically and the music fits each level perfectly. The game features a wide variety of environments that utilize the system’s hardware. For example, one of the levels in the game is titled “Sea” and takes place on a beach. Seeing the water realistically wave in the background while having seagulls and crabs populate the level makes it feel like you’re really there.
The environment and sound design also help deliver the tone and major themes of the game.
It doesn’t have much of a complex story but it has some underlying themes.
The main theme of the game is about loneliness and nostalgia. Yarny is on a lone adventure without the help of others and he is trying to uncover the past of the people who created him. He learns how to use his abilities to get over obstacles.
This is where gameplay comes in, Unravel’s platforming is its weak point but it’s very creative in how it’s done.
Since the he is made of yarn, he can use strings pull, climb and even swing to get through the game’s objectives.
The platforming is definitely unique but at times it can be very frustrating.
The problem is many times the physics of the game don’t work like they should and it can sometimes seem impossible to pass an obstacle. Games that are difficult are appreciated but in Unravel it’s obvious that it’s a flaw in the development. This problem can stem from them being a small company working with a more top tier physics engine that they may have not used much before. There may be a possibility of a sequel or a similar game made down the road that can hopefully improve on the platforming aspects.
Platforming aside, Unravel is an awesome game by this humble developer and it is worth the $20 because it is an adorable and unique experience.