An unknown evil attacks two worlds at the same time and it’s up to two unlikely warriors to save their homes. Complete puzzles through teamwork and cooperation. Navigate through beautiful levels in an immersive, 2D realm. Join Ember, a wispy girl from a heat and lush colored summer world, and Rime, the prince of a frozen kingdom as they begin a journey to restore the balance of the worlds in Degrees of Separation.
Degrees of of Separation was developed by Moondrop, an indie studio in Hamar, Norway. The game was winner of the Norwegian nationals in gameplay in 2014. Recently, they partnered with producer, Modus Games, to release the game on platforms such as PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and XBOX ONE.
Where to begin with Degrees of Separation? Almost everything in this game is well thought out and at the same time a breath of fresh air against similar games. I’m normally not a person for clichés but there’s something about fire and ice elementals forbidden by their true nature to fall in love and yet persist against all odds that is satisfying in my book. This game is all around exquisite from design to the gameplay and all the way through the music and story telling.
I have to take a moment to appreciate the character design. Both Ember and Rime feel very similar, yet completely different at the exact same time. I would have to guess that the parallel worlds were based off their personalities and color concepts. Ember’s world is filled with oranges, reds, yellows, and lush greens that all come back to her warm color pallet. Rime brings blues, greys, whites, and teals into the mix that create his frozen persona. The creators went out of their way to spread inspiration and tie it back to the heroes.
This game has to be one of the most well done split screen games I’ve ever played in my life. When you and the other player are close together, the worlds are symbiotic in play and you can barely tell where the line of separation is between the worlds. They meld and flip instantly if the characters swap positions. It’s truly a beautiful game mechanic to witness. When further away from each other, there is a dark line in the middle of the screen, but the way the scenery and background are designed, you normally forget it’s there.
I found the puzzles to be pleasant and found enjoyment in the fact that most of them could be solved in different strategies. Collecting the scarves did not seem as a chore at all. It is a very common occurrence in video gameplay these days but I love it because not all people have the same method for going about things. For me, this also adds to the replay value of games and challenges me to try something a bit unorthodox. When playing cooperative with another person in the room, this experience is even more effective.
The only issue I had with this game is that I was given no real main objective when you start the game. My fiancé voiced the same concern as we played through some of the first puzzles. I had a gut feeling that maybe we would learn as the storyline progressed. In my research, I found that renowned video game designer and writer, Chris Avellone, was the head writer for this project and is known to be one of the best in the industry. It is very common in his stories that you must progress in the game to learn more of the story. All will come to understanding in the end.
Degrees of Separation, while small and not too well known at this point, has a lot of potential to pack a giant punch in the video game world. I have no doubts that it will be up for awards soon and will be played by all types of gamers. I personally recommend that people check this one out for a new twist on a classic type of game.
Key Features:
- 2D Adventure platformer
- Immersive Storytelling
- Environment based Puzzles with cooperative gameplay
- Can be Single or Two-Player
- Non-Linear levels
- Gorgeous game design and soundtrack
Score: 9/10
Check Out the Degrees of Separation Trailer:
Degrees of Separation is available digitally on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam for $19.99 USD. To stay up to date on all the latest updates, check out the official website and follow Modus Games on Twitter, Discord, and Facebook.
Lady gamer of over two decades that started out adventuring in RPG's and gradually branched out to modern day First Person Shooter and Massive Multiplayer Online Games. A lover of a good story and a sucker for a great soundtrack. Gaming allows us to see the world through different experiences.
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