I had the chance to play Hauntii final yr at Summer time Sport Fest. Pitched as an journey recreation set in Limbo, Hauntii sees you taking part in as a ghost who explores the afterlife, which was a giant promoting level to me. So when the chance to evaluate Hauntii got here up, I jumped at it, and let me inform you, it was not what I used to be anticipating.
What drew me in was the setup and ambiance: the story of a darkish ghost first getting into a spooky ethereal world of the afterlife. Ultimately you meet your good match in a white ghost, and collectively you’re employed in the direction of recreating your recollections out of your life within the land of the residing. Whereas exploring, there are hints and whispers of an elder civilization on which the afterlife was constructed, however these are solely imprecise allusions to what may very well be, and sadly they aren’t paid off. Hauntii isn’t as centered on the narrative as it’s on the playground it presents.
There are two methods to work together with the world: shoot your essence in a twin-stick shooter style, or hang-out one thing to acquire a brand new potential or two per haunted object/creature. There’s a finite quantity of essence gauge, however in a while there are upgrades that permit that to be practically infinite. The haunting potential, although, makes for some fascinating maneuvers. Generally you flip into an enemy that may physique slam, leaving a fiery space of impact; different instances you’re a bug that may soar from tree to tree. It readily various up the gameplay, and had me continuously on the lookout for the following factor I might management, to see what new powers have been accessible to me.
What made Hauntii so sudden is its format and supply. The second to second gameplay is extra akin to Tremendous Mario Odyssey than anything: a world constructed round smaller maps, every one with hidden stars strewn all through so that you can discover and acquire. Some are hidden on the outskirts of the map, or by way of possessing completely different creatures, whereas others are rewards for hidden challenges. There are races that can have you ever soar by way of rings as a bug, or some that can require you to hang-out a turret enemy and defeat all of the enemies in a fight area. There are stars basically in all places, to the purpose that I’d generally enterprise to the far reaches of the map, to be rewarded with a hidden, far-off star.
The celebrities are literally used as an improve foreign money, the place you’ll put them into constellations. As soon as a constellation is accomplished, you possibly can improve the quantity of essence you shoot, your variety of hearts, or how usually you possibly can sprint. These upgrades are useful however usually the gameplay stays the identical. What actually makes the celebs fascinating is in how artistic the workforce at Moonloop Video games will get with situating them. I used to be all the time tremendous excited to simply see a shimmering star off into the gap, solely to spend the following ten minutes deciphering how I used to be imagined to get it.
These little victories are what pulled me by way of as a result of total the story takes a steep backseat to anything occurring, and is difficult checkpointed by star rely. When progressing by way of the small-sized maps that interconnect the world, I’d be having a good time till the story would gate me off, leaving me to backtrack to hunt for extra stars. Fortunately, the ambiance and hauntingly (pun supposed) stunning orchestrated soundtrack are extremely effectively performed. I used to be chilled to the tip by each flute solo and piano association. I’d completely go to see this soundtrack carried out reside based mostly on its sheer class.
Hauntii does a incredible job of offering a smaller scope journey throughout an enigmatic underworld. Gathering stars and haunting various enemies gave a way of discovery round each flip. It’s stunning in its supply and make-up, however that’s what additionally holds Hauntii again: its restricted scope. It doesn’t dream large enough for what might have been. The gameplay, whereas enjoyable and interesting, is tremendous restricted. Haunting and capturing aren’t sufficient to maintain you hooked. When reflecting on my time with Hauntii, I take into consideration the music and the artwork, and fewer so on the way it performed. Hauntii is a panoramic expertise, however it simply doesn’t do sufficient with it. This recreation makes a compelling case for videogames as artwork, however it stops brief in relation to the precise mechanics.
