Despite what your intuition may tell you,
simplicity - nay, 'elegance' - is very hard
to pull off when designing a game, especially
when you're trying to convey a deeper meaning
and experience.
Crow by Sunside Games strips back the rail
shooter and while its individual parts may
seem simplistic, getting the full story will
require dedication and skill.
The titular crow is sent from another plane
of existence to act as a vessel of vengeance,
eventually getting caught up in the struggle
between two 'spirits' seeking to use your
powers for their gain.
The choices you make are starkly black or
white, but the reasons for making your decision
may be influenced by the story you uncover
as you explore each landscape.
There are two main gameplay sections that
are repeated over and over with players first
gliding around a landscape in search of 'trinkets'
that help to unlock skill points.
As you progress you'll uncover either 'challenge'
maps or 'story' features where the game transforms
in to a third-person rail-shooter.
Swiping allows you to move the crow around
the screen (avoiding projectiles and dangerous
environments), while an energy gauge charges
up, allowing you to cast one of several spells.
The basic shield and attack are all you need
to finish the game, but new powers will also
unlock (and can be upgraded with skill points)
to make life easier.
Unfortunately, despite the beautiful environments,
Crow suffers for its third-person perspective,
making it extremely difficult to avoid some
projectiles thanks to a combination of your
finger and the large bird itself getting in
the way.
At times it's also unclear as to the 'depth'
of an object, making it all too easy to run
in to a hazard you though you already passed.
This would be far more forgivable if some
of the longer battle sequences featured checkpoints
- in particular, the final boss may make you
put down the game depending on the path you've
chosen.
Despite these concerns, Crow still manages
to provide a compelling experience that's
sure to eat up an afternoon - it's all too
easy to catch yourself saying 'I'll just clear
one more area' and before you know it, the
game is over.
With any luck, future updates will polish
the experience even more, making it a definite
must-try for those after something out of
the ordinary.
