Naiad is a gorgeous puzzler made by a solo developer below the identify HiWarp. In it, you play as Naiad, a river spirit tasked with serving to animals as you navigate your approach by way of a sequence of interconnected rivers in your quest to achieve the ocean.
This visually beautiful recreation is unfold out over 16 episodes, every in its personal biome. For the primary six chapters or so, you’re basically on a lazy river, free to work together with as a lot or as little as you want. Hardly ever are any of the puzzles required to progress ahead, although the in-game rewards undoubtedly incentivise fixing them. It’s an odd problem curve, transitioning from almost a strolling simulator right into a puzzler correct.
As you progress additional and also you get nearer to humanity, issues get bleaker. Air pollution is in every single place, muting your singing — your main technique of puzzle-solving and interacting with animals — and slowing your actions. Cleverly, color saturation within the setting begins to empty too, taking you from vibrant cerulean streams to oil-slicked, refuse-filled sewers.
The puzzles get extra advanced too, as it’s a must to account for the perils that humanity has wrought upon your beforehand pristine biome. Whereas the problem is most welcome after coasting by way of the early parts, the controls tend to get in the best way. Attempting to maneuver and sing concurrently is temperamental, and discovering what issues you’ll be able to work together with, and the way, is usually a head-scratcher.
These negatives are outweighed by the sheer fantastic thing about the title due to the unimaginable use of color, in addition to a calming, whimsical soundtrack and sound design. Taken as a complete, Naiad is a title with unimaginable artwork and sound in addition to one thing to say, even when the gameplay isn’t all the time firing on that very same degree.
