Gris but grislier
The precision-platformer is a torturous genre at the best of times, and now developers Brlka and publishers Ysbryd Games have seen fit to combine it with Silent Hill. Their forthcomingLove Eternalis the story of Maya, a girl whisked off to a “castle built of bitter memories” by a weird, lonely god, and obliged to make her way “through over 100 screens filled with spikes, lasers, switches, and traps”.
When not getting spiked or lasered, Maya appears to spend her days in a kind of metaphorical suburban household. Here, she will contend with things like people crawling on the ceiling and coming over all Babadook. Maya does have one major advantage: the ability to reverse gravity. Watch her put that ability to use in the new trailer.
Commendably harrowing, yes? Celeste meets Silent Hill is one framing -Grisbut grimdark is another. I already know I’m going to struggle with the platforming, but I’m very curious about the setting, which reminds me a little ofVoid Stranger’s bottomless sokoban-scape. I also like the treacherousness of the presentation, with larger animated sprites suddenly louring into view during the hop-and-bop sequences. I like it up to a point, anyway. If the game does the fourth-wall peekaboo routine every time I have to carry out six mid-air gravity flips in a row, I am going to get Cross.
Here’s a rundown of features fromthe Steam page.
Gorgeous hand-drawn pixel art graphics bring the god’s realm to life alongside meticulously handcrafted animations boasting many thousands of frames
A lush, atmospheric score, equal parts unsettling and beautiful
Responsive, snappy controls provide challenges with a sense of mastery and acrobatic accomplishment
A psychological horror narrative contorts and unfolds to reveal choices beyond comprehension
