Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is a story journey set on a legendary island residence to many various Greek Gods. Stranded on this enigmatic and long-forgotten place, Alex – a backpacker with a busy job who lastly received a while off – has to assist the Gods keep in mind who they’re by forging friendships, fixing some mild puzzles, exploring the island, and resolving the thriller behind the Gods’ amnesia.
On the core of the sport is the so-called Ambrosidex, a mysterious machine that gives you a map, lore, and all of your duties, serving to you relocate memorabilia tied to the varied Gods, maintaining monitor of the issues that you must do, and even permitting the Gods to contact you immediately. It is a sport that’s all about fetching quests and the tales it tells.
Developer: Polygon Treehouse
Writer: Whitethorn Video games
Style: Indie, Narrative Journey with puzzles and a whole lot of exploration
Launch Date: December fifth, 2024
Reviewed on: PC
Accessible on: PC, Swap, XBS
Copy was offered by the writer.
After you’re stranded on this island, you get to satisfy a unusual and vibrant solid of characters, starting from Gods now not of their prime. Hermes has grow to be anxious and doesn’t ship messages anymore, Aphrodite struggles with self-doubt, whereas Hephaistos and Athena are overworking themselves and discovering a tough stability between their self-care and their passions, simply to say just a few of the tales advised.
Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is a sport about these tales. Somewhat than embracing the overdone Greek myths as we all know them, the builders over at Polygon Treehouse forge their very own tales, recontextualizing the polytheist myths of Historical Greece and mixing them with trendy parts, which I discovered extremely attention-grabbing.
The sport touches on matters like psychological well being, self-care and mindfulness. There are themes of doubt and discovering one’s goal, reigniting one’s ardour for one’s craft, and likewise discovering new joys in life. The best way it touches on many various elements like that’s compelling though I’d have needed to see extra depth at instances.
The solid of characters you meet within the sport – whilst you’re making an attempt to resolve the thriller of Ambrosia Island and discover a means residence – have misplaced religion in themselves, uncared for their duties after falling out with one another, and once they meet you, they’re initially very closed up and distrusting. Comprehensible. However maybe because of the means the sport is made or due to Alex’ empathetic nature, they open up pretty quickly and let you assist them.
The favours they ask of you carry selection into the sport. You’re tasked with discovering memorabilia – objects linked to the Gods – in a “getting hotter” type minigame stretched across the many various areas of the island to seek out these objects in all types of hidden nooks and crannies. On prime of that, Hermes asks you to feed the seagulls, Zeus and Hera need you to make the island extra welcoming, whereas you’re guiding residence spirits for Hades.
These minigames not solely offer you a purpose to discover the island however additionally they reward you immediately by permitting you to progress via the story. Full a bunch of duties for the varied Gods, and also you’re awarded their seal, permitting you passage via completely different doorways that now grant you much more areas to discover.
The best way during which you must determine the place to go subsequent and what you’ll be able to and can’t do in the mean time is fairly enjoyable. I like exploration in video games and making an attempt to determine what instruments you want to discover that one message in a bottle, attain that crate that washed ashore, or to get to the subsequent space is simply… enjoyable.
Add to that, that you would be able to swap the ambrosia fruit discovered in all places on the island for relics from completely different Gods, and you end up amassing a bunch of various objects, from the sport’s soundtrack to furnishings in your lighthouse, to extra sensible objects like misplaced memorabilia, portal keys which can be used for fast-travel, and farms to not need to forage for fruits anymore… and also you all of a sudden have a really well-rounded sport that’s all about fetch quests.
I’d think about that folks may discover themselves bored with the gameplay loop. It’s undoubtedly not everybody’s cup of tea, however as somebody who appreciates a laid-back and cozy-style sport that has you hurry from one place to a different, giving me the chance to min-max my routes, I really appreciated this lots, particularly because the day-night-cycle additionally paints the island in fairly actually a brand new mild because the day progresses.
Now, right here’s one thing I didn’t like… The Gentle Home. Initially, it was residence to your very first save level however, over time, as I added furnishings, I needed it to grow to be extra than simply one other save location. I needed it to grow to be our precise residence. However for that, it lacks performance.
Sure, you add furnishings and decorations to it, however there is no such thing as a customization, no small gimmicks and issues to work together with. It’s simply an (ultimately much less) empty room and it feels chilly and lonely. It’s not alive. If it was a spot we really lived at, maybe we’d have one thing on the range or some small crops to are likely to. I do know it is a nitpick however I really feel like it will have added lots, personally, even when it was quite simple.
Outdoors of that, I didn’t just like the “voice appearing”, principally grunts and singular phrases. That type of type is a bit overdone and I don’t even know if the sport wanted it essentially. I shortly turned the voice sounds off due to how annoying the grunts, noises and singular phrases get.
In that regard, I’m glad it’s an choice. Once more, being nitpicky right here however it genuinely bothered me. I’d advocate going into the choices and turning off the voice sounds in case you’re additionally bothered by it.
One other factor right here is one thing in regards to the characters you meet. I actually just like the extra trendy method to the character designs.
Ares is a punk. Zeus and Hera are hipsters. It’s kinda humorous, and provides a whole lot of quirkiness and color to an in any other case stale and, frankly, severe and problematic pantheon, ? It’s neat. I’m certain there are many individuals on the market who won’t like seeing these designs however I believe they’re becoming, even when Hephaistos is a bit pale, though it is sensible since he doesn’t go away the home a lot, I suppose.
However the characters simply stand there within the varied areas and when it’s their time of day to depart their houses, they simply teleport over, even with their lack of powers. Look, I believe it will have been significantly better if the individuals did really do issues right here and there or in the event that they not less than walked over to their spots, and stuff.
It’s good that Cerberus is sleeping all day and it’s nice that you would be able to pet him, however what does Hades do all day? I’d have liked to see them do actually something, even when it’s desk work.
Hephaistos is my favorite God right here btw. Make him tinker on some contraption and roll his wheelchair right down to his forge. Ares and Aphrodite may have a tendency their respective passions, Zeus and Hera may snuggle whereas at residence and simply chat whereas out and about, Hermes might be seen fishing, Poseidon might be seen stress-free, Athena might be studying… and, and, and. You get what I imply.
Because it stands, the characters are simply ready so that you can discuss to them which breaks the immersion a bit for me. It will add lots to creating the world really feel extra alive if the sport featured that type of consideration to element, and I’m constructive that the builders may very a lot add one thing alongside these strains. If to not this sport, then maybe to their subsequent one.
General, although, I discovered Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island to be an extremely attention-grabbing sport that rewards you for the exploration you do, both with progress within the story, cool objects and options, or shortcuts to areas you’ve been to already, connecting the island as you join the Gods with one another once more.
It recontextualizes the Gods of Greek Mythology and manages to retell their tales however in a brand new mild that I discover pleasing and never all that removed from the tales we all know.
Sure, the characters might have the aforementioned subject however when it comes to their personalities and tales, they actually grew on me, and after beating the sport utterly in eight hours (as a result of I simply couldn’t cease taking part in), I used to be genuinely unhappy to see the top to the sport. It was unhappy to see the credit roll. I’d have liked to play extra of the sport even when I felt happy with its size and the content material this sport offered.
Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is a story journey with puzzle parts that cosy players who must take their thoughts off of issues will certainly get pleasure from. When you’re conversant in the myths of Greek Mythology, you’ll discover cool easter eggs and a whole lot of consideration to element. I’m a fan.
I like to recommend testing the sport your self and am eagerly wanting ahead to taking part in Polygon Treehouse’s future video games, particularly after their work on Assault and this title right here.
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