PGC NEWS

The indie game scene has exploded in recent years, with small but dedicated teams crafting unique and compelling experiences. Friend & Foe, a Japanese studio, enters the fray with their debut title, Vane. Does this atmospheric adventure soar to the heights of indie darlings like GRIS, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, The Messenger, or Celeste? Let’s delve into the world of Vane and uncover its strengths and weaknesses.

Vane’s most striking feature is its breathtaking visual design. From the stark beauty of the desert landscapes to the imposing mountain ranges and vibrant oases, the world is rendered with an artistic flair that truly captivates. The character designs are equally distinct, showcasing a diverse cast ranging from menacing antagonists to stoic monks and a lone child struggling to survive in the harsh environment.

Complementing the visuals is a meticulously crafted soundscape. The wind howls through canyons, metal creaks in the breeze, birds call out in the distance – every sound adds another layer of immersion to the experience.

Vane desert landscape

Unfortunately, Vane’s stunning presentation can’t mask its deeply flawed gameplay. The game seems to draw inspiration from early open-world titles like The Legend of Zelda, emphasizing exploration and discovery without explicit guidance. However, unlike Zelda, where adventure unfolds organically, Vane leaves the player wandering aimlessly for hours with little direction.

The core gameplay loop involves searching for clues and solving environmental puzzles. However, the lack of clear guidance makes finding these clues incredibly frustrating. Instead of providing subtle hints, Vane often requires pinpoint accuracy to trigger interactions. For instance, reaching the top of a suspicious tower won’t reveal the next step unless the player lands in the exact, often obscure, spot required to trigger the interaction.

Even when a puzzle is solved, the reward is often another equally obtuse puzzle in a different location. This repetitive cycle, coupled with the lack of direction, quickly becomes tedious. Worse still, some puzzle chains lead the player back to areas they’ve already explored, adding to the sense of aimless wandering.

Vane’s technical issues further compound the gameplay problems. Load times are excruciatingly long, even on different hard drives. The overuse of low-poly graphics, while aesthetically pleasing, sometimes causes the character to blend into the environment, leading to disorienting moments, especially during flight sequences. Occasional frame rate drops also disrupt the flow of gameplay.

Vane strives for an open-ended, exploratory experience, but its lack of direction and frustrating puzzle design make it a chore to play. The beautiful visuals and immersive sound design are ultimately undermined by the tedious gameplay and technical shortcomings.

In conclusion, Vane offers a stunning visual and auditory experience, but its deeply flawed gameplay and technical issues prevent it from reaching its full potential. The lack of direction, frustrating puzzle design, and performance problems make it difficult to recommend, despite its artistic merits.

• Developer: Friend & Foe
• Publisher: Friend & Foe
• Genre: Adventure, Puzzle
• Release Date: January 15, 2019
• Platform: PlayStation 4