This year really does feel like the year of the indie game. I feel like I’ve seen more indies released than ever before. It’s honestly pretty nifty. I had the chance to review Unbound: Worlds Apart, and that’s what I’m here to talk about today.
So, what is Unbound: Worlds Apart?
Unbound: Worlds Apart comes to us from Alien Pixel Studios, and is their second released game. But what is their latest release? Unbound is a challenging, atmospheric puzzle-platformer, set in a universe where all worlds are connected by portals. You control Soli, a gifted young mage with the power to open portals. Not only this, Soli can control the unique properties of each world – including inverting gravity, time manipulation, super strength and more. The game is also completely hand-drawn.
Soli must use these newfound skills to journey across dangerous and mysterious worlds, brimming with secrets and challenges. Using every skill at Soli’s disposal, players have to defeat a ruthless evil that is tearing reality apart, all while learning the shocking truth behind the world’s collapse.
Exploring the world
I can’t lie, when I first picked up Unbound: Worlds Apart, I immediately got Ori and the Blind Forest vibes. The base gameplay is similar, and they do fall into the same categories for the most part. It’s hard to not draw comparisons. Especially with the art style, right down to being hand-drawn. Admittedly, this is something that hugely endears me to a game. After all, I am an artist at heart. So on the graphical standpoint, this game is stunning. It makes my heart very very happy.
By now, you all know I am very much anti-spoiler. Story wise, it’s nothing necessarily new or exciting, but the execution is spot on. The cast of characters is diverse and intriguing, and never failed to make me smile. The developers managed to create a truly rich world, one that I for one would revisit.
Gameplay wise, we’re looking at the normal standard for a platformer. Combined with the puzzles, this is actually pretty fun. There’s also enough puzzle variety to keep players interested without getting overly frustrating. Run-time is in and around the 4 hour mark on average, so pretty standard for an indie game. Depending on your own playstyle, this can be completed in a sitting or two with relative ease.
Honestly, the only issue I found is how similar Unbound is to Ori. This doesn’t take away from how solid a game Unbound is, but it’s definitely note-worthy.
Overall, Unbound: Worlds Apart is a game that will appeal to people of all ages with its charm and stunning visuals. The world is interesting and engaging, and very worth exploring.
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