The last few years have seen some massive games launch to critical acclaim. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Elden Ring, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:God of War Ragnarok, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Tears of the Kingdom, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Last of Us Part 2, and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Animal Crossing: New Horizons have shown that big games can come in all shapes, so long as the size is extra large. With console launches and the pandemic, the rhythm of regular releases has been disrupted, but right now major titles are coming thick and fast, with no sign of letting up until beyond next summer. But amongst the downpour of triple-As, there have also been a lot of fascinating indies that I have been begging other people to check out. One of these was Chicory, and at Gamescom, I met its goth cousin Hauntii.
Much like Chicory, Hauntii makes the most of a limited colour palette. Rather than the crisp black and whites of Chicory though, Hauntti has a far more atmospheric dusty purple and golden glow. For older players like me, it will bring back some of their first gaming memories, while younger ones will probably recognise it from filters in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Spider-Man’s photo mode. Children. I♓t draws you into the gothic world whilꦜe still feeling cosy, using the darker tone to tell an underdog tale rather than for raw horror.
You play as a ghost in, if not Hell exactly, then certainly the underw💞orld. You can’t remember who you are or how you died, and ꦬthe first person you meet is a glowing white spirit. She ascends and tries to take you with her, but you cannot make the trip and so crash back down to the underworld. Your goal then is two-fold - to make this journey the long way around and be reunited with this person you feel a connection to, and to uncover memories of who you once were.
As your silent protagonist drifts across these levels, they can haunt objects they come across. Initially this is used for simple purposes (haunting a switch to open a door), but you can soon haunt much bigger objects to help in combat, or ♕get creative with what is available. After trying and failing to haunt from tree to tree to reach a hidden memory, I was directed to a nearby ladybird. Haunting that, I was able to fly up to the memory with ease.
In my brief time with the game, I also met a host of other characters. While a lot of games based on hell, ghosts, and the underworld try to outdo each other wit♚h edge and scares, Hauntii is prepared to be much warmer and emphasises togetherness. It’s the video game equivalent of a bunch of outcasts going to Hot Topic to buy studded collars, fishnet gloves, and denim patches that screech bloody slogans, but also♕ Barbie backpacks and Jack & Sally earrings with Sailor Moon socks.
Hauntii was in a quiet little booth at Gamescom, and when it launches it will have to settle for a quiet little corner of the market as the never-ending flow of big guns duke it out. But there's a lot of heart and spirit here that I think people will be moved by if they give it a shot, and it's the sort of game that makes me so grateful for conventions like Gamescom. If it can sustain the fuzzy feeling it gave me over its runtime and if Hauntii's quest resonates emotionally, then I think it could quickly become a cult hidden gem that all the cool kids (like the ones with Jack & Sally earrings from Hot Topic) play. Hauntii has high potential to become an indie darling, and just like little Hauntii trying to ascend himself, I hope the game eventually figures out how to reach those heights.