The Puzzle-Platformer genre has seen something of a
renaissance in recent years. Thanks to
gaming platforms such as Steam, PSN Store and XBLA, these games have found themselves a suitable home where
they can gain a measure of success outside the money throwing competitions of
the established games industry. Starting from the relatively simple design concept
of the platform game many of these Indie titles have developed far beyond the
realm of simplicity, with devs exploring new aesthetics and experimenting with game
mechanics. Vessel, the first game developed by Strange Loop Games - a small
developer based in Seattle - marks a strong step towards a grander aesthetic within
the genre while still keeping experimentation close to its heart.
Vessel is set in a city where many of the machines are run
by liquid robots called Fluros. These apparently non-sentient workers were
invented by the game's hero, M Arkwright. Unfortunately these Fluros
malfunction and run riot in each of the city's main sources of power and it becomes
Arkwright's job to fix the malfunctioning Fluros so that the city can regain
functionality. This is done through a series of ingenious puzzles which are
solved using the different Fluros which Arkwright discovers on his journey.
The game's puzzles initially involve a mixture of Vessel's
tailor made physics engine, which provides brilliant liquid physics, and
managing the few Fluros at your disposal. Even though water doesn't particularly
act like water in Vessel - acting like a far thicker substance - it's
still incredibly fun to play around
with, and as the game progresses the player comes across different liquids
which are used together in increasing levels of complexity. Similarly the
different Fluros, which also increase in variety, mean that with each new
puzzle and area you are forced to change your tactic and really consider the
tools at your disposal.
It's these puzzles which really lie at the heart of Vessel
and the game really excels when it is challenging the player with demanding and
complex problems. The game's story on the other hand can seem relatively
simple. There is little to no discussion on how these Fluros are built or how
Arkwright invented them. For some the story may seem like a contrite way to
explain the game's main puzzle mechanic, but the game does also develop its own
subtler narrative alongside the more deliberate one. Not entirely unlike the
critically acclaimed Shadow of The Colossus, Vessel may make the more sensitive
gamer question their usage of Fluros as a puzzle solving tool. These cute
little beings happily run about at your command, pressing buttons and helping you
progress through the game. Yet often, when a puzzle has been solved and a Fluro
has completed its task, the player must leave them to die - in many cases the
death of a Fluro is essential to your progression. On occasions the guilt of
simply using these beings as disposable objects was palpable. Making the player
feel guilty for their actions isn't new to videogames (SOTC mentioned above
being a standout example) but it's still impressively effective when used well
and unobtrusively. Vessel manages both and such emotional engagement adds a
surprising and remarkable depth to the game's atmosphere.
The game's art design is also very impressive. A cartoony
Steam-Punk vide proliferates and gives the environments a grand feeling, helped
also by the size of some of the games chambers and the excellent sound and
score (produced by John Hopkins). Unfortunately I found that, despite the
presence of the Fluros, Vessel did feel a little lonely. While it's never fair
to demand specific content from a game, the addition of a few NPCs would have
been welcome and possibly helped to bring more 'life' to the world (I mean,
it's a city right?).
Despite the great look, the large environments seem to
provide problems for the game as sometimes the frame rate does drop. This isn't
too much of a problem and is dismissible if not for the other few niggling issues.
The controls can feel a little awkward to begin with. When using the mouse to
determine direction of Arkwright's pressure hose (yes, I know, stop giggling),
the player can sometimes leave the character running backwards. Along with this
the character can feel a little clumsy at times and sometimes gets stuck on
ledges or platforms. Buttons can also be awkward, so that when you jump on them
they occasionally won't activate. These are very small, pernickety issues which
in no way hinder the game as a whole but merely give the impression that there
were still small issues to be ironed out on release.
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