Game: Lost Ember
Genre: Adventure, Other
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam, PS4 & Xbox One)
Developers | Publishers: Mooneye Studios
Age Rating: US E10+ | EU 7+
Price: US $29.99 | UK £24.99 | EU € 29,99
Release Date: September 24th, 2020
Review code used, with many thanks to Mooneye Studios
Animals having the ability to inhabit other animals is a mechanic that has been used in video games before. That’s the hook in Mooneye Studios Lost Ember, lets see if it is successful.
Lost Ember
The tale of Lost Ember is told from the viewpoint of a lost spirit (pink ball of light that talks) that is guiding a wolf across the environment. The spirit believes that the wolf is actually a reincarnated member of the Yanrana, an ancient civilisation that once walked the earth.
With both the wolf and the spirit having lost their memories, they travel together and try to learn more about their past. With one goal in mind: to reach the City of Light and eventually the afterlife. I don’t want to go into too many details about the story as I think it is a game that needs to tell its own story.
City of Light
The only way the pair can reach the City of Light is by exploring the world deeper, something they can only achieve by using the wolf’s unique ability to switch forms between other animals during the adventure.
The story is told through unlocking memories, with flashbacks showing scenarios occurring while the ball of light talks about what it thinks is going on. The pieces are quite easy to piece together and a lot of the time you’ll have worked out what is happening long before the ball of light has finished its speculation.
There are also some story paths that are easy to figure out long before the characters themselves do. It’s a decent and enjoyable story though.
Wolf of many Forms
You’ll play as Kalani the wolf for the majority of the game. But you can swap to any other creature you can find with a press of a button. Wombats can squeeze through small tunnels, various birds can obviously fly, and fish can swiftly traverse through bodies of water. Finding and possessing each animal will likely lead to new areas and perhaps some hidden spots containing collectables.
Wombat and More
Inhabiting other animals is done well and so seamlessly in the game. One minute you’re a wolf and at the press of the Y button, you suddenly are in control of the nearest animal. My favourite to control is the little hummingbird as it flutters across the sky.
However, some animals control better than others, while the wombats are a breeze to control, the ducks can’t seem to fly to save their lives, and the fish were prone to flopping up on the shore and dying.
All the animals have their own little quirks, such as the wombat which can roll and fit in tight tunnels underground and munch on berries. Or flying as a bird enables you to reach the higher ledges in the game.
Non Violent
Lost Ember is a peaceful game centred on the story it has to tell. There isn’t any fighting or great battles. None of the animals you take control of die. You are quickly reincarnated the moment you lose your footing or fall off something.
You’ll come across smoking waypoints on your travels, each one unlocking a memory of your furry wolf-friend, Kalani, when you howl at them. The game has a few clever ways to guide you forward, be it rows of coloured flowers, a clear empty patch of grass or smoke in the distance.
While some of the game is quite linear, there are portions where you can wander off the beaten track and hunt for collectables, such as mushrooms and artifices.
Visuals and Controls
Lost Ember is visually stunning in some areas of the game, I really like the look of the game. The game gives a calm and peaceful vibe as your moving towards the City of Light. Music and sound effects all add to the experience.
Unfortunately Lost Ember suffers from a few bugs and performance issues. I had Wolf getting stuck in the environment on a few occasions, stuttering when moving in the environment and mini freezes halting the game, all of which impacted my experience.
Conclusion
Lost Ember has lovely visuals, simple gameplay mechanics and a heartfelt story. The calm and peaceful vibe of the gameplay is perfect for players looking for a laid-back game to play. It is not overly long, coming in at around five hours.
If you like games with a strong narrative, animals and a little exploring the environment then Lost Ember might certainly be worth a look.
Final Verdict: I Like It A Lot 