Goodwin Games takes us to a cold and dying world. Here we will complete Selfloss: a forbidden ritual to soothe the soul.
Since the demo we tried some time ago, Selfloss has shown itself to be a game with clear ideas. An exploration game, surrounded by puzzles to solve and action phases to break up the rhythm. His narrative is mature, it also does not hide strong themes and raw moments.
The protagonist himself was created to make us empathize with him. In fact, Kazimir is an elderly man who “survives” despite enormous pain. The characterization of the character is interesting and, although the technical compartment is limited, it hits the mark. The man has a heavy hood, a thick white beard and an uncertain gait. He has a large backpack and a stick with him, in short, an unconventional hero. The demo allowed us to play the prologue and the first chapter of the title. The general idea I had had was not disregarded. To be honest, I found ideas and mechanics that surprised me while others puzzled me.
Let’s now look in detail at the various aspects of Selfoss, starting from the history, the lore, and then arriving at the playful and technical aspect.
A Fairy Tale not for Children
First of all we must clarify the concept of Selfloss: a ritual to heal a wounded soul. To carry out the ritual you need an object dear to the deceased person and a Selfloss Fish. Kazimir has suffered too much pain, to heal his soul a forbidden ritual is needed, which involves the spirit of an orca. While undertaking the journey he will meet several characters who have suffered a loss, only helping them to ease their suffering. Traveling through lands plagued by Miasma, a dark slime that generates distorted and ferocious monsters, he will get closer to his goal.
The world and its settings have a cold color palette. We note the strong inspiration taken from Icelandic landscapes where we encounter desert plateaus, mountains and glaciers. With our protagonist we will cross many glacial rivers that flow towards the sea and cross plains.
During the journey we will meet many creatures, some benevolent while others decidedly not. Creatures taken from Slavic folklore and mythology such as mermaids, giants and dying deities.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Selfloss has several mechanics that make up the adventure. The main one is that of the staff, capable of emanating light capable of solving puzzles or defeating enemies. We can direct the beam of light to illuminate glyphs and defeat the miasma and the creatures generated by it. In fact, the miasma is a fundamental part of the gameplay and will be used both as an obstacle and as an actual enemy.
The light from the stick also serves to solve environmental puzzles, such as illuminating glyphs that will open paths for us. Interesting is the mechanic of simultaneously controlling the stick with the left stick of the gamepad and Kazimir with the right stick. Even the light of the stick will serve to attract and even catch fishes. There will also be stick upgrades that will affect gameplay and combat. Exploration is fundamental, there are even optional puzzles and secondary roads. Completing the latter allows us to obtain scrolls relating to the lore of the game world. A definitely intelligent way to invite the player to explore the game map.
Exploration is also by boat, another important element because the map is designed like an archipelago with landing points. To move in this world, the stick is always used, which acts as a sail for navigation. The boat usually does not suffer damage, only in some moments of the game will we have to be careful not to suffer damage and consequently be defeated. Indeed, being defeated in the game leads to a “rewind”. A narrator will tell us that “it wasn’t supposed to end like this” and will take us back in time. As if our history was already predestined and guided by superior wills.
My Two Cents
Selfloss is an adventure with a strong exploratory and contemplative mood. To think that it was created by Goodwin Games, made up of just three people is truly remarkable. The game gives its best in proposing puzzles and secondary objectives, even if they are not immediate to solve. In fact, finding the key to the problem is never a given and the creatures that populate the game world will be fundamental. Fulfilling their requests literally means progressing in the game and reaching the goal. While the narrative is a strong point of the game, some moments are a bit weak.
Selfloss unfortunately fails in the implementation of its mechanics, especially in the action phases. There are some boss fights that aren’t badly done, but aren’t memorable either. The controls are quite imprecise and this is noticeable in the action phases. Even driving the boat, especially when it is susceptible to damage, is sometimes frustrating. Luckily these phases are not too frequent and do not ruin the experience. For the rest, Selfloss is a game made with love and care and which is not afraid to tackle “uncomfortable” issues. Anyone wanting to enjoy an adventure (about 8 hours) that focuses on exploration and story will be well rewarded.
Selfloss
PRO
- Good world setting
- Moving story
- Good gameplay ideas
CON
- Some controls flaws
- Some weak moments
7.8/10
