Related
Isometric RPGs have catch a Renascence through games likePillars of EternityandDivinity : Original Sin , while the indie horror scene has proved to be an idealistic examination background for novel ideas . Arietta of Spirits , from developer Third Spirit Games , look to emulate the experience of the top - down action adventure games of old .
Arietta of Spiritscasts the player as the titular character , a thirteen - year - old girl returning to her grandmother ’s isolated island cabin for the first time since her fleet away . There , she discovers a connection to the spirit kingdom , and must endeavor to uncover the secret of the island and solve the problems of well-disposed spirits . However , not every habitant is amicable to the young visitant .
Related : Piepacker Hands - On Review : A Grab Bag Of Retro Goodness
Of course , Arietta of Spiritshas some rather obvious influence . It ’s a top - down adventure game with a overweight stress on combat , exploration , and puzzle solving , and therefore draws some rather strong analogue to the likes of theearlyThe Legend of Zeldagamesor theManaseries . There ’s nothing especially young to be plant here within its short runtime , but that ’s not necessarily a bad thing for those who need a real slice of nostalgia .
As such , Arietta of Spiritsfollows a pretty interchangeable template . The thespian must explore the island contend monsters and bosses along the way , every so often gaining novel tools and power ups like wellness upgrades to help with their journeying . A little more variation would have been preferable - the actor is limited to round , dodge , and using a charming cuticle - but it ’s solid enough for those who played those biz of yore .
In particular Third Spirit utilise a strong balance between these skills , particularly in the plot ’s later boss fights that can depart to experience almost like abullet helland truly try the player ’s noesis of their dodge and shield exercise . There are also some diversions to be found throughout the game , with completionists tasked with accumulate a handful of items for the merchandiser flavour Midri or finding the misplace Spirit Cubs dot around the island . Those expect something as drawn-out and complex as the oldZeldagames may findArietta of Spiritswanting , but at least it does n’t overstay its welcome .
AlthoughArietta of Spiritscan find a little meandering here and there if the player try out to fill out those side quests , in general the secret plan tries to keep the player on a elongate path . At times this can feel squiffy and well - round , such as the maze of a silver mine towards the nates end of the plot . This also is a section where the biz ’s story is taken up a notch , with a darker tone that makes Arietta ’s connection to the spirit world feel much more serious .
Overall the game ’s narration is well tell , with a option of decent if not striking characters that serve their purpose well . Meanwhile , Arietta of Spiritssuccessfully interweaves the personal story and wider lore , ground the histrion before the idea of multiple region becomes too backbreaking . It ’s unlikely to last long in the memory , but nonetheless serve its purpose in creating an worked up bond .
VisuallyArietta of Spiritsalso hits the print . It manages the same retro artistic of the likes ofStardew ValleyandShovel Knight , appearing as though it walkedstraight out of the 16 - bit erawhile containing flourish that would not have been possible at the time , such as more complex foil and inflammation than the SNES would allow . It ’s an experience that would be great for those with an old CRT television lying around .
Arietta of Spiritsis a safe but pleasurable top - down natural action dangerous undertaking biz . It has fun if simplistic gameplay and a self-colored story that provides a unassailable emotional core to keep the player involved . It ’s not a must - play , but certainly ticktack all the correct loge for those hunting for a nostalgia fixing that even the top franchise of the music genre have abandon .
More : Legend Of Mana Switch Review : A Baffling Adventure
Arietta of Spiritsreleases today , August 20 , 2021 for PC , PS4 , Xbox One , and Nintendo Switch . Screen Rant was provide with a PS4 download computer code for the purposes of this revaluation .
