There are few sub-genres more ill regarded than walking simulators these days. The term itself has practically become a derogatory insult, referring to titles which lack true interaction, forcing players to slowly trudge across a world looking at another person's story. While Valley keeps many aspects of this genre, from the scattered story to the beautiful ruins, it proves how the right developer can take a flawed idea and turn it into something truly exciting. In this case, by allowing the player to practically break the sound barrier.
What kills a lot of these 'walking simulators' for me is the lack of interactivity, I definitely like the idea of a game starting out as a walking simulator, however that type of gameplay can't last for the entire thing, and based on this review this looks like a game I'd be really interested in as Valley seems to solve those issues, so I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly the same issue I have always had as well, and the few possibles which I think worked was Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs, Abzu and Journey. While they might have all been minimal, at least there they had a great atmosphere, a few engaging puzzles and moments where you can engage with the environments. In this case, it emulates those qualities and you do have more than a few choices or moments to alter events on a minor or major scale. The very fact you're capable of giving and taking life alone adds a great deal to the game.
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