Code provided with thanks to Llamaplay
When the Embers Wake – The Feels
When The Embers Wake is a very short, very gentle narrative experience. In under two hours I spent with this early build, it managed to tell a surprisingly touching story about grief, loss and moving forward. This definitely isn’t a game for everyone, and that’s okay. There are no huge boss battles, complicated puzzles or demanding combat sections waiting around the corner. Instead, you play as a little red panda, wander through some lovely environments and listen to a story unfold around you.
A Little Red PandaÂ
You begin the game following your mother through the forest as a young red panda. It doesn’t take too long before the story takes a turn, leaving your little panda wandering alone. I don’t want to say much more about what happens because When The Embers Wake is such a short experience that spoilers would be particularly easy to stumble into. Much of the story is about grief and the relationship between a daughter and her mother, with the red panda’s journey reflecting the emotional story being narrated alongside it. It’s a simple concept, but I thought the way the two stories are connected worked rather well.
Walking Through The Story
Gameplay is extremely straightforward. You mainly walk around, jump occasionally and interact with a few elements of the environment. You’ll encounter wildlife, explore the forest and find little things to interact with along the way. You can stop for a drink of water or have your red panda nibble on some vegetation, but these interactions are more about making the world feel alive than providing any real challenge.
When The Embers Wake is closer to an interactive story or walking simulator than a traditional game. You’re here to experience the narrative rather than overcome difficult obstacles. The environments gradually change as the story progresses, too. What begins as a peaceful natural setting eventually becomes more troubled, with weather changes, rain and signs of industrial development appearing within the forest.
A Quiet And Emotional Experience
Visually, When The Embers Wake has a pleasant low-poly style that works particularly well with its peaceful atmosphere. There is something quite nice about walking through the forest with sunlight filtering between the trees, before the mood gradually shifts and everything becomes darker and more overcast. It’s no technical showcase, but the handcrafted environments do a good job of creating a believable little world for the story to take place in.Â
A Story About Grief
The subject matter is undoubtedly the most important part of When The Embers Wake. Grief isn’t exactly an easy subject to tackle, but the game approaches it quietly rather than trying to hammer its message home. There is a particular moment towards the end that deals with the idea of saying goodbye, and that section genuinely hit me. I won’t spoil what is said, but it was one of those moments where I found myself stopping and thinking about it afterwards. I suspect how much this game affects you will depend heavily on your own experiences and where you are emotionally when you play it. For some people, it may simply be a pleasant little narrative adventure. For others, some of its themes could hit considerably harder.
Final Thoughts
I’ve played through everything that was available in this early build, although I don’t know whether anything will be added or changed before release. Based on what I’ve experienced so far, When The Embers Wake feels like a short but thoughtful experience. It’s not an action game. It’s not a challenging platformer. It’s not going to test your reflexes or leave you screaming at a boss fight. Instead, it’s a couple of hours spent wandering through a changing forest, watching a story unfold and thinking about some fairly heavy subjects along the way. That won’t appeal to everyone, but if you’re looking for something short, narrative-driven and capable of tugging on the heartstrings, I think When The Embers Wake is worth keeping an eye on.Â
And yes, that ending got me in the feels.
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