The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature Review for Steam

As someone who thoroughly enjoys story-heavy games, I knew that I was in for a treat when I got the opportunity to play The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature (by developer La Belle Games and publisher ARTE France), from the name alone. True to its title, the game heavily incorporates its source material, Mary Shelley’s notorious novel Frankenstein. However, the game has more to offer than simply story. It not only leaves open opportunity for a few diversions from the original and infamous tale, but also gives the player an artistically engaging and awing experience, that gives new dimensions to an otherwise complete character and story.

The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature is played from the perspective of Frankenstein’s Creature, affectionately (and wrongfully) known in popular culture as “Frankenstein”, though for this review we will borrow the phrase from the game and refer to him as “The Wanderer.” The game starts with The Wanderer awakening shortly after his creation, and you, as the player, quite literally wander from area to area while the character starts to gain his consciousness, senses, and memories. This makes for a very beautiful sequence of the game’s animation developing before your eyes. A white, blank slate is suddenly filled with strange gray shapes which later become people, animals, and objects livened with color and other small details as you go from area to area.

All of this is enhanced by the music, which is chosen to perfectly compliment the various types of scenes. The scenes throughout The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature are coupled with internal monologue from the main character reminiscent of the passages in Shelley’s book, which provide you as the player with a better understanding of The Wanderer if you did not know much about the character already. Even while knowing the character, reading the thoughts as they appear in real time while you join The Wanderer on his emotional journey provides for a very different experience than you may have gotten if you read the original book as a requirement in 9^th grade English like I did.

Like The Wanderer, you have no real destination or objectives when you start the game, you simply move and learn more about yourself as the character, and the new environment he has just found himself in. While the story aspect of the game starts slowly in comparison to where it is headed, this is fitting for the progression of events in the main character’s life, and allows players to both grow attached to their main character and greater appreciate later, more action and dialogue driven scenes. Slowly, you gain objectives and must figure out, with little direction from the game, how to keep the story moving.

However, no need to fret. Because The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature is primarily focused on developing the story, game play consists of very simple puzzle and memory games so as not to overwhelm the player. The game is neither difficult nor long, as there is no real “losing” or starting over in the case of a mistake. Instead, the game keeps challenge at a minimum and replaces it with decision-making for the player. The decisions start off low stake and possibly have no affect on the actual story, but later become more meaningful and impactful.

The story itself is, of course, somewhat predictable in its progression due to the game drawing from an internationally known and critically-acclaimed book. However, the decision-making side of the game and hands-on participation from the player permits them to receive a more personalized story along with several added new and unique experiences that may surprise the player even if they are not blown away.

9/10

Check Out The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature Trailer:

The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature is available for PC and Mac for $15.99 via Steam.