Prune is a puzzle game from 2015 that launched on mobiles. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, it just received a launch on PC (you can pick it up on Steam for a few bucks/quid).
It was critically acclaimed 10 years back for its artistic integrity. The work of American indie dev Joel McDonald of Polyculture, its focus on nature and ambient vibes make it a welcome addition to any gaming library (innit).
Ambiance and Trees in the Chilled Out Prune
As with other mobile-based games (think of M.C. Escher inspired Monument Valley 3), this is an artistic time of it. There’s chill music to go with the vibes (composed by Kyle Preston), with the goal of helping trees to grow.
You do that by gesture-based stuff, brushing the trees upward with your finger on screen. Players must then prune the branches to help that growth continue.
It’s not a super challenging puzzle game by any stretch of the imagination. And that’s not the point, as the goal here is a relaxed and often melodic time of it. A chance to chill out and enjoy its vibes.
Just as a piece of art, Prune is rather nice to look at indeed. Abstract angles and the like.
What’s ironic with this chilled approach is Kyle McDonald used to work for AAA developer Raven Software, responsible for the ultra-violence of series such as Call of Duty and Wolfenstein. Flat out two of the most juvenile levels of hyper violent gaming you can imagine.
Intriguing to know that, as he worked on those games, he had a vision of a more peaceful experience. He went indie dev in 2013, just as the indie game scene really began to take off.
It’s a peaceful game to watch in action. Another example of how you can be a passive observer in video games. These ones play out like an animated series, or some such, so you don’t need to know anything about gaming to enjoy the experience.
Prune is a short game. McDonald describes it THUS:
“Prune is a love letter to trees. A game about the beauty and joy of pruning. With a swipe of a finger, grow and shape each tree into a unique piece of art while avoiding the obstacles that confront you.”
It’s a simplistic game. But in that simplicity there’s elegance and a sense of exploration. All very Zen. Time magazine event named Prune its game of the year in 2015. 10 years on, here’s a chance to give it a whirl on a bigger screen.
