Vesper | PC Review
I don’t normally play games to look at the art or landscape; I play to have fun. Sometimes that means managing a small town, or running an ever growing factory, or screaming at the top of my lungs because I was so close to winning and failed. This time was different. I was so drawn to the art, and contrast in colors, that I just had to see the rest of Vesper. Cordens Interactive aims to make games that bring a sense of awe and wonder. With flashy lights and larger than life art stylings, Vesper looks like a dreamscape ripe with exploration and mystery. While I was excited to look around and see the beautiful backgrounds this side scrolling puzzler had in store for me, it became apparent that Vesper had more to show than just its good looks.
Tar Boy?
As a little robot named 7, you explore a ruined world as you try and save what is left of your people. Following clues left by decaying robots and computers, you set off to find out how and why the world fell. With no abilities to defend yourself, you rely on tools and wit to escape enemies and solve puzzles. I would say with this game it is not the story itself, but how the story is told. There is no one to sit you down and lay out what happened. Instead, lore and finer points of the story are hidden in data logs throughout the game. Giving you past conversations and holograms to see what happened at the time of the recording.
The story is not that long, but the game could take you a little while depending on how fast or well you play. Some areas took me some time to get through just because I was doing something wrong. While this is a slower-paced title, not all parts of it are like that. With an impressive build up to a timed puzzle boss fight some parts of this game can really get you going.
Not Tar Boy
Vesper focuses on solving puzzles and staying out of sight, but sometimes the enemies are just unavoidable and you have to run. In those moments, the game changes to look and feel just like the trouble you’re in. There are ways to get rid of enemies further into the game, but most of the time that is just a temporary fix and might not benefit you at all. As you progress, the complexity of puzzles and number of hazards increases rather than enemy type or level. At some point, a new tool called the drive gun becomes available to help manipulate enemies and solve different puzzles. Despite the name, the drive gun isn’t a gun at all, but a tool used to transfer energy from one spot to another in the form of light. It is this function that allows different doors or enemies to be used to fit your needs. Taking control of enemies is vital in some parts of the game to complete parts of puzzles unreachable by normal means. This could be as simple as a button made specifically for an enemy or moving energy to points across open gaps.
Nothing to See Here
This is normally the part of my review that I lay on the couch and tell you how things make me feel. Not this time. Other than a few moments of frustration that were all my fault, this game played very well. A lot of games have one or two things that I have to keep in the back of my head and say “this causes that and I do NOT like that!” and it is just not the case with Vesper. The only major complaint is that the game really doesn’t have any replay value unless you are trying to collect everything. The game is linear and since there is no fighting per se, the game is exactly the same until the end. It might not have a groundbreaking new tool or mechanic, but the game sets out with the purpose of giving you an experience of detailed and eye-catching visuals and it does just that.
Let’s Play With Light
Don’t be afraid to try Vesper if you don’t like puzzles. It isn’t an escape room. The game does a great job easing you into and explaining controls and parts of puzzles. It builds off itself and allows you to get comfortable with an idea before adding too many variations. It also gives you moments to practice before making you use new ideas for real. Vesper is simple yet attention grabbing due to the colorful and well-drawn scenery. If Cordens Interactive continues to produce games with the mindset they used for Vesper, there is no doubt we will be seeing more of them. I look forward to seeing the next dreamscape they come up with.
This review is based on a PC copy of Vesper provided by Deck13 for coverage purposes. As of the time of this writing, it is exclusive to that platform.
Vesper
$19.99
Pros
- Great Visuals
- Easy Controls
Cons
- No Replay Value
