In the past, we’ve ranted about Teslagrad and how it’s an indie classic. Well, joy, as developer Rain Games is back with its second game—World to the West.
World to the West
It’s a stark departure from the bleak, harsh, magnetic world of its first game, with this one offering a colourful and engaging environment inspired by games such as the overhead 2D titles such as A Link to the Past.
World to the West makes numerous nods to Teslagrad with a few character designs and names but, other than that, this is an entirely unique adventure.
We have to say, though, we were concerned with how, sort of, normal the game looked in previews—a creative step back from Teslagrad?
Well, yes and no; this is charming indie game in its own right, but it doesn’t reach the lofty heights of Rain Games’ first game despite being an enjoyable game in its own right.
Heading into this one on the back of largely favourable reviews from the games press, we felt relieved to discover the Norwegian developer (which, like many indie developers, is very active on social media and openly engages with gamers) has done a commendable job in creating a vibrant world to explore.
It’s a cute and charming game with silly humour and several separate characters to control as the story unfolds.
As mentioned, there are numerous nods to Teslagrad (which was a Metroidvania platformer—a 2D sidescroller, in other words) as you play, with some music inspired from the original, and several of the characters also have special attacks which are reminiscent of Rain Games’ first, brilliant outing.
World to the West kind of reminds us of many 3D N64 games around the late ’90s era, like Space Station Silicon Valley, which had a similar subtle, quirky, and whimsical feel to it.
Whilst we wouldn’t say the game is at the level of Teslagrad (which made such a bold and unique statement), and it’s a bit disappointing in its twee, formulaic nature, it’s still charming, vibrant, and well worth your time.
Purchase?
This isn’t an essential purchase, we have to say. As big fans of Rain Games, we heartily recommend Teslagrad over this (if you haven’t played it yet), although World to the West will still act as a chirpy addition to your video game library.
Both are indie games, of course, so you can pick them up off Steam (or a console, if this tickles your fancy—i.e. you’re NOOBIE SCUM!) at a cheap price (£12 – $15) for a slice of lovingly crafted fun. Both are also available on the Wii U, PS4, and Xbox One.
