“Dreams are wishes, of happiness”, sang Cinderella, and it is precisely happiness that one longs for in the indie that is about to land again. In fact, when she falls asleep, we can only hope to have beautiful dreams, but unfortunately our wish does not always come true. The team knows it well Bedtime Digital Games, which is about what happens while you fall asleep in your bed and your mind wanders to strange worlds. Often probing the fears of the unconscious who stand out in these moments, when we are most vulnerable. After the first title, released in 2017, and after a first review released two years ago, now comes Figment 2: Creed Valleythe new indie action platformer we have preview tested on Steamwith a view to the next release March 9.
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Figment 2: Creed Valley, a journey to the edge of the unconscious
The dream activityyou it is unpredictable, because dreams, as well as nightmares, always draw from some remote corner, and only apparently forgotten by us. Thus a whole new and fantastic world is generated at the same time. This is the starting point of Figment 2: Creed Valley, which reveals us a world that can only be born from a twisted minddominated by anxiety and nightmares.
Figment 2: Creed Valley is a action adventure set in none other than the human mind. Nightmares are spreading chaos and taking over a previously peaceful world. It will only be the courage of our mind, personified by Dustyhaving to make your way through puzzles, music-themed boss fights and unique and truly imaginative settings. The fearsthey, in turn, come impersonated by monsters that we have to face in different moments of the game. The ultimate goal? Bring back mental stability to the person who is having these nightmares.
We will not be alone. Dusty will have by her side too Piper, his travel companion who brings with him a breath of optimism, as they cross Creed Valley together. A world, the latter, full of strange and fascinating elements at the same timethat characterize not just the context of the game that frames our actions. It also determines the useful tools for solving puzzles that await us at every turn.
Puzzles and clashes to the rhythm of music
Just looking at the content of the gameplay, we are now going into a more concrete way on the gaming experience, which at least in its version for Steam has shown great game engine performance. It runs smoothly, with no dropouts or slow loading that hindered our test. The only exception, of course, was the lack of testing on local co-op mode, whose main menu item is present, but not selectable. However, this did not prevent us from enjoying the remaining part of apleasant experience, but not long lasting.
During the game, we can observe a decidedly interesting aesthetic and graphic sectorwhich also here fearlessly reveals its continuity with Figment, but which in this case allows us to explore the two fundamental states of Mind, open and closed. How to do? We will have to go from one state to another and adapt to the changing environment around us, to continue our journey and also face the numerous enemies. These, immediately, will put our resistance in difficulty, indicated in the classic life bar which changes color, from green to yellow to red, as we weaken.
And it’s just the combat system, united by the sound sector, which proves to be essential to proceed during the game and to be able to overcome the various obstacles on the way, without forgetting that saving is automatic at each checkpoint. The pace in battle is also really sustainedand sometimes we almost struggled to understand the best tactics and strategies to defeat enemies, but game over is not always around the corner.
Finally, speaking of what the main menu, we can freely customize the keys to use to move and hit enemies with a sort of club, as well as view the Extra content, which will populate as we continue in the game. Not forgetting the options, that
New horizons, darker roads
As we have seen, Figment 2 is the second chapter that follows the release of a work that followed, in some ways, the same common thread. It’s always about values, exploration of the inner world of manwith specific attention to psychology and in some respects to ethics. Self the last work of the Danish team was aimed more at values such as courage, audacity and self-confidencewith a tone of voice definitely more cheerful and warmthis time Figment 2: Creed Valley takes another path.
Madness, fear, pain that pervade this world are evident in every aspect of it. Even from the dark colors of the sky, if we can define it that way, of the environments that characterize the various levels into which the game is divided. Dusty returns as the protagonist and always as “brain inhabitant“, called precisely “Courage of the mind”, after his previous adventure with Piper. And their task is precisely to protect and heal the mind carefullyto prevent it from ever re-emerging from these gloomy and painful depths to face.
The journey proposed in this game is truly special and unique, bordering on psychological and Freudian analysis. Sometimes peaks of madness worthy only of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, if we can afford such a comparison. All of this is amplified by three aspects of no small importance, which allow us to immerse ourselves even more in history. It is about the use of isometric viewand simple combat system and several opportunities to explore the environment.
The review of Figment 2: Creed Valley in pills
Figment 2: Creed Valley is ultimately an excellent dark fantasy action and purely puzzle game. The common thread with the previous work of Bedtime Digital Games is evident and very consistent between the two titles released so far, leaving us well impressed with this last IP. Both in terms of content and technical performance. This release in the independent videogame sector marks, in our opinion, a decidedly welcome return and which we have appreciated on the narrative and playful aspect. Also easy to play and intuitive in the tasks we have to complete, Figment 2: Creed Valley is definitely valid and worthy of joining your video game libraries.