Synopsis:
Set out on an emotional journey through the bittersweet lives of two people where memories come alive and time bends to your will. Lose yourself in moments of happiness and overcome every hardship as you relive your life’s story. A story of joy and sorrow. A simple story.
Publisher: Techland Publishing
Reviewed on: PS4 (Pro unit)
Also available for: Xbox One, PC (Epic Games Store)
Developer: Piccolo Studio
Game Directors: Alexis Corominas, Jordi Ministral
Creative Direction: José Luis Vaello
Art Direction: José Luis Vaello, Abel Oroz
As its title states, Arise: A Simple Story is just that—simple. But what makes this small indie title stand out is its magical worlds, gorgeous art direction, and a phenomenal score paired with an innocuous story that is impactful, uplifting, and ultimately bittersweet.
I teared up at one particular moment, and the ending left me staring at the screen as the credits rolled. It’s a triumphant emotional response for a game that uses no traditional storytelling. Arise achieves this by dragging you through ten very different levels that chart the life of the protagonist and their loved one—from childhood and the first meeting through to the end of their days—while the protagonist is caught in a kind of limbo on his way to the afterlife. The game begins with their bonfire funeral, mourners standing around, before you’re transported on a magical journey that takes you from leaping across ice caps to escaping a fire.
Each level in Arise is distinct and beautiful in its own way. They’re themed around different parts of the protagonist’s life and, as he moves through them, statues of himself and others appear—stone tableaus with time frozen—that silently tell the story.
The game quickly introduces the basics—jumping and climbing—before teaching you Arise’s time-manipulation mechanic, which is a joy to watch in action and what makes this platformer stand out. With the right analog stick, you scrub time forward or backward to solve puzzles and traverse spaces. In one level you reverse time to refreeze a melting pond so you can cross; in another you’re given a grapple rope to hook onto flying bugs, then move time to carry yourself across a gap. Things get increasingly complex, and pausing time becomes crucial in later puzzles. It’s very rewarding—and if you chase the collectibles (which unlock beautiful artwork that expands the story—highly recommended), you’ll tackle some of the trickier time puzzles that are well worth the effort.
Where Arise falls short of greatness is its utterly frustrating platforming, which had me swearing at my TV several times. The protagonist is old and frail and—even in the afterlife—moves slowly and can die from even a mildly high fall. Combine that with sections where it’s hard to judge the length or depth of a jump, and you’re in for a lot of tedious deaths.
My favourite element of Arise, however, is its superb original soundtrack from David Garcia, which provides the emotional backbone for every scene and elevates the art direction and simple storytelling into the bittersweet journey that Arise: A Simple Story becomes.
Playing Arise is often frustrating—be aware of that going in—but when the music, visuals, and gameplay moments click, it’s a colourful cocktail that pulls at your feelings out of nowhere. Although it’s a simple tale, it’s one many of us can relate to.
(Arise: A Simple Story code provided for review)
