Gift

Indie puzzle platformers have undoubtedly been the rage amongst the broader gamer base over the past few years. Gift is another entry that justifies why these titles have been so popular. It's a game that allows freedom of artistic expression and storytelling and introduces various mechanics outside standards that pique player interest and retain their drive to follow the narrative until the end.

Gift is set in an avant-garde universe, where the player is a character escaping a sinking ship. You'll find many obstacles to overcome with unique puzzles and changing maps. Still, the more emotional component running parallel to gameplay makes the experience intriguing. Let's dive into Gift and see how it stands up in the growing world of indie puzzle platformers.

I Won't Go Down With This Ship

Players awaken on a luxury cruise ship, struck by unfortunate events. The colossal boat is now sinking. You're tasked with getting off before it's too late, but there's more to it than finding a route out into the open water. You'll have to carry the weight of other passengers who have formed emotional connections, hindering your attempts at getting out.

Gift's design is gorgeous, from the beautifully chaotic maps to the well-constructed character development. Players will enjoy the progressively changing maps as the ship sinks and the weird and wonderful puzzle mechanics, pushed with an urgency to survive. However, the relationships built between characters in the game make the experience unique.

The more you interact with the ship's terrified passengers, the more you'll feel like you need to help them, where suddenly, self-focused survival becomes irrelevant. Their stories and needs will shape the obstacles ahead, where the degrading ship paired with the puzzles is a challenge. It's a well-balanced set of mechanics, playing on emotions while testing cognitive abilities.

The colorful world is contained in a single ship. Still, it feels more prominent with the intricate environment design, strange characters, and familiar reality of tragedy. Players may struggle with some of the emotional components of Gift. Still, it feels like a complete puzzle platform title that won't disappoint among the many options available.

The Gift of Life

There have been some brilliant puzzle platformers recently, and Gift is one of the more memorable ones. The bizarre world paired with familiar real scenarios stands out, and the way the title plays with emotions while testing logic is highly commendable. Its essence would remind genre fans of Ori and the Blind Forest, and it pairs those traits exceptionally well.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Beautiful world design that changes with progression
• The character development and interaction are exceptional
• There are plenty of unique challenges to keep players on their toes

Cons:

• The emotional components of the game won't be for everyone