Contrast: A Game of Shadows

After the success of Steam in the field of publishing indie games platformoderzhateli painted together in the love of the indie scene, promise to support independent publishing indie games and even include a little game in the starting lineup the next consoles, however, after the U.S. PlayStation 4 is already current, generation. Actually, a small platform puzzle Contrast and became one of the starting projects for Play Station 4. For players, the CIS countries, which will have to wait for PS4 launch until November 29, the game is already available on other platforms, including on Steam.

Contrast – this is a game of light and shadow. A simple three-dimensional platformer that flick of the wrist turns into a two-dimensional. Such a decision we have already seen in several projects, unlike Contrast – to use lights and shadows to create and manipulate level elements.

The game’s plot, despite some pretentiousness and theatrical environment, is very simple. Teenage girl Didi worried about his father, who seems to have got into some kind of scam, and wants to help him reconcile with his mother and returned to the family. She wakes up in her room polusumrake and sent to the night city streets, filled with shadows, fragments of dreams and memories, to make things right. Didi company is its imaginary friend, girl-acrobat with the telling name Don (Dawn), which can turn into a shadow and travel between sleep and more deep sleep between 3D and 2D.

Contrast mesmerizing combination of breathtaking art deco atmosphere, films noir, coffee and light Shantanu madness. There are no people, except Didi and Don, only silhouettes on the walls, but they communicate with each other and with the girl – is overshadowed by its daily memories. The entire game world – it’s literally a few blocks around the house Didi rolled into a tangle of quaint streets, terminating nowhere. In general the whole chamber and Contrast very cozy, filled with rays of light and filled with music and warmth. 

Basis of the gameplay – light and authors work with him masterfully, good engine Unreal 3 allows. For the sake of simplicity, there is no perception of the penumbra, but those are the rules of the game. But moving the light sources can literally change the level and find new ways. Unfortunately themselves platform puzzle game is not very complicated, some special call for a player is not here – almost all of you will pass the first time. 3D to 2D transition levels only in strictly defined areas on flat surfaces illuminated by light, so figure out what to do in each subsequent time is not difficult. 

Contrast in the original puzzles and so little, and one of the levels, Shadow Theatre, generally literally verbatim quote from Limbo . It is certainly one of the best role models, but I would like to see all the individual works of the authors. 

Contrast short game. Three acts can run for 2.5-3 hours, even with search collectibles and secrets. Final stories are so predictable that even insulting. The visual style and mood of the game promises some mystery, detective story or drama, and as a result we get a little banal family history, a place that in some lowly daytime drama. A pity. 

However, despite some incompleteness and innuendo, Contrast is very sweet and cute, but the idea behind the gameplay, although not disclosed to all one deserves to meet her. If not now, then during the New Year’s sale on Steam.

Contrast: A Game of Shadows