|| REVIEW || Waking (PC)
Developed By : Jason Oda Published By : tinyBuild
Category : Adventure, Narrative, Indie
Release Date : June 18, 2020
Whether on my stream or in these articles, I've always commented on how much I love a good story in a game. So when a strong, atmospheric, narrative-pushing game such as Waking comes across my radar I get excited. Doubly so when it promises to involve combat and an experience that's likened to that of Dark Souls. It had bits and pieces of all the things I loved and enjoyed about games, could it hold up on how it put them together?
Waking tells the story of...well, the story of you. The character in game is dying, in a deep coma and battling every one of it's last demons. But, before you get that far you're asked to fill in your own information, as the game is geared to be extremely personal. All throughout, the things you find and come across will be pushing you, egging you into giving up on life and finally succumbing to death. Will you give up, or fight on past everything thrown in your way?
Combat is a little less traditional in this game, giving you basically no real direct weapons. Instead, since you're in a coma, you're given the power of telekinesis which allows you to pick up items of clutter around you and hurl them at your enemies. These throws can be charged before you unleash whatever item you have, or you can even hold it out in front of you to use as a shield and potentially reflect some attacks back at your enemies.
Other than the clutter, you'll be able to equip a small range of attacks and abilities. You're able to perform quick melee strikes, but only after picking up specific shaped items and charging them completely, which increases your ability to attack. There's also a super attack you can build up that deals massive damage when you use it.
As you progress through the game, you'll be building up your memories. One such instance has the game telling you to close your eyes as it embarks you on an attempt at an emotional journey, remembering a pet from long ago. From here, you're given the ability to reconnect with this long lost pet, who will journey alongside of you and fight with you or defend you.
While Walking succeeds immensely at the emotional value it places on the story and pulling you right directly into it, for me it falls short on the gameplay side. The combat is fun, and definitely unique since I can't recall any other game I've ever played which caused me to scramble for literal scraps of waste to hurl at an enemy. This novelty wears off pretty quick though, as the enemies get stronger as the game progresses and the pieces of clutter never seem to deal any additional damage.
For me, this title was a difficult one when it came to deciding if I liked it or not. There were some things I loved, and some things that I personally dislike in games, but these likes and dislikes covered large and key areas of the game. What I loved was the combat. Initially I wasn't that big of a fan, but that was just because it was different. It took away my comfort zone of constantly having a weapon glued to my hands, and instead made me fight and scramble for opportunities to arise in battle.
However, what I personally wasn't a fan of was the pacing. At least to me, it seemed like the story and progress was very slow, and in a game that promises to be Souls-like, I prefer a much quicker pace. Waking either doesn't deliver on this pace, or it does far too late for me to play. As of now, I haven't finished this title, but I do want to. It's just too slow of a pace for me to chunk a ton of time into in a single sitting.
Rest assured, if I make it to the end of the game and feel differently, I'll absolutely come back and say so. For that reason, I want my score of Waking to reflect strictly the game. But, along with that, I do want to express that if you are like me and prefer a faster-paced experience, you may not get all you're looking for from this title. Otherwise, this is a great experience and making it so personal is a touch that not many other games could provide.
Game Rating : 7/10
Pick up the game HERE on Steam
Also available on : Xbox One
A code for this game was graciously provided
to the site for the purpose of a review
