Game: Falcon Age
Genre: Adventure, RPG, Action, Simulation
System: Nintendo Switch ( also on PS4)
Developers | Publishers: Outerloop Games | Outerloop Games
Age Rating: EU 16+ | US Teen
Price: EU €16,73 | US $19.99 | UK £15.09
Release Date: October 8th 2020
Review code used, with many thanks to Outerloop Games!
Welcome to Falcon Age. Alone in a cell, you find yourself incarcerated. Waking up in a lonely cell, with a food dispenser, toilet and bed for your ‘comfort’. Follow your tasks for the day and you’ll be okey. Keep your chin up and you will see the hope, right in front of you. Literally, in the nest in your window.
In Falcon Age Ara bonds with a baby falcon and goes on an adventure to reclaim her cultural legacy in the lost art of falcon hunting against a force of automated colonizers.
While Falcon Age was originally made for PlayStation VR, it still translates well into a simple first-person perspective on the Switch. It really is a beautiful game. Let’s take a closer look.
Into the Familiar Unknown
At the beginning of your game, you’ll be able to choose whether you would like to enable combat or keep combat to a minimum with your winged friend. I haven’t tried it with limited combat just yet, still pushing through the main story with combat. But I wouldn’t be surprised to be just as impressed with the non-combat variant. Taking out the combat will probably increase some people’s interest, if they dislike or don’t want combat and are more interested in the simulation part of the game.
Falcon Age has an open map, where you can go wherever you like, as long as you can get past mines, or a harsh series of robots. You move around looking from the perspective of the character themselves, which makes calling your falcon so much cooler. You will use your left arm for your falcon, whether calling her to land, or to send her off to find something. Your right arm however, is a lot more versatile. Everything else is done with your right arm, whether that’s grabbing some food, giving a cool scarf to your falcon or using your baton weapon.
Along your travels, you’ll meet people that may need your help, or can help you. You’ll meet item vendors, artists, builders and more. Each NPC has it’s own personality and quirks. You get a map very quickly, I found myself needing it far too often, but that’s probably down to me. I was too busy taking in the surroundings than where I was! But at lease the map gives an indication of where to go for quests or for the main storyline.
Sound of Nature
I love the style Outerloop Games have used for Falcon Age, they are so crisp and yet subtle. In the background and sky there was always some movement, always something going on on the edge of the world. They manage to bring you right into the world, and I suspect that is thanks to it having been created for PlayStation VR.
And again with that, the sounds are spot on, from the noises of animals to the sound of robotics, it helps you immerse yourself even more.
Humour during Falcon Age
I have to admit, whilst some of the combat would leave me stumped and a little frustrated, there is plenty of humour laced throughout Falcon Age. And the adorable moments with your feathered friend are brilliant. Bonding has never been more wholesome ♥
I managed to complete the game in around 15 hours. I got stuck a few times, went the wrong way more often than I like to admit. It is a cute game to play, and if it’s looking good already, wait until you play Falcon Age.
Check out Falcon Age’s official site here.
Final Verdict: I Like It 