“The Fall” Review

Although “The Fall” has been available on Windows and Mac for over a year (and on WiiU for nearly a year), it recently released on both Xbox One and PS4 and is a game that is definitely worth checking out. Despite being only 3-4 hours in length, it’s easily one of the most intriguing examples of fresh storytelling this year and well worth the $9.99 price tag.

The story of “The Fall” starts out simply enough. A humanoid figure in a metallic suit plummets from the sky onto an unknown planet, crashing into a small cavern. The wearer of the suit is knocked unconscious, but an artificial intelligence kicks in and is given control of the motor functions needed to mobilize the pilot. From this point in the game, you are in control of the “Autonomous Robotic Interface Device” (A.R.I.D.), who’s protocol is to protect the pilot she is carrying and get him/her to a medical facility on the unknown location. As the player progresses through what appears to be a run-down robotic facility, A.R.I.D. does everything in her power to follow her protocol as the mystery of this location slowly begins to unravel.

The gameplay of “The Fall” feels like a combination of a couple different gameplay genres. On the surface, it looks like your standard “Metroidvania” 2-D side-scroller. While the game does feel very open-ended with plenty of backtracking, the addition of adventure game elements is what makes this game a bit more interesting. Sure, your suit will eventually unlock certain upgrades that give you newer abilities, but that becomes almost secondary to interesting puzzle mechanics that require you to find items and use them elsewhere in the facility in order to progress. Think of older games like “The Secret of Monkey Island” where you pick up items in your inventory to use later in the environment. The difference here is that the combinations actually make sense in context of the world instead of just randomly combining items together. What’s most interesting is that, in many cases, the solution seems very simple; but the player usually has to work around the system to come at the problem from a different angle. It gives the player a very satisfying feeling despite being a pretty simple puzzle scheme. In addition, there are notes and clues left by the previous inhabitants that help you figure out just what you need to do (a key feature not present in previous adventure games).

There is also some very simple combat in this game. A.R.I.D. eventually acquires a sidearm that she uses in typical side-scrolling fashion. Her weapon has a laser sight to help with headshots, and she can even take cover behind debris. The combat actually feels like a necessary evil since it’s a bit awkward to use correctly. Thankfully, this mechanic is used sparingly and is the only low point on an otherwise gem of a downloadable title.

 

Where “The Fall” really shines is in its conveyance of tone with storytelling. The location is very creepy, and the dialogue between A.R.I.D. and the rest of the A.I. present at the facility is fittingly robotic. The antagonist of the game is particularly ominous in his cold delivery of lines and really helps to solidify the creepy isolation that developer Over the Moon is going for. The visuals are very dark (in a good way) that remind me of a less primitive-looking, more colorful “Limbo”. The mystery really makes the game difficult to put down, and there’s a very satisfying twist ending that will leave the player clamoring for the next installment in the series.

Overall, this game comes highly recommended. It was a genuine surprise that succeeds in eliciting an emotional response, a success that many games simply try too hard to achieve. Don’t overlook this title simply because it’s a download-only game or because of its cheap price tag. It’s one that this reviewer will most certainly be seeing through to its conclusion with it’s last two episodes (which are yet to be released).

Rating – 8/10

The Positives:

• Intriguing storytelling
• Great voice acting
• Interesting take on adventure game gameplay

The Negatives:

• Short length, next episode has no release date
• Awkward combat mechanic