Torii is the work of solo indie game developer Moswig (real name Joaquín Castro) in Rojas, Argentina. It’s an experimental and introspective game based around the traditional Japanese gate that is Torii (often found at the entrance of Shinto shrines).

This one is available on Steam and launched in November 2022, With its distinctive artistic style, it’s quite the marvel. Even if its gameplay offerings are minimalistic, there’s still a lot to enjoy here.

Torii: The End of the Beginning

Torii reminds us a bit of the beautiful Nyamyam title Tengami (2015), which has an incredible art style and David Wise soundtrack. The music in Torii is by composer Adriano Martino and has all the Japanese vibes you’d expect. All very chilled out (so relaxed that we can’t find any individual pieces of his work online to include in this review!).

The ambience mixes perfectly with all the orange hues, as orange is a theme in this game.

Psychologically, the themes of orange are energy and enthusiasm. Adventure and risk-taking are two other positive themes, which is what goes on a lot in the game (in casual fashion).

It also just looks bloody nice, especially mixed with the stark greys and whites Moswig throws into the mix. That does highlight that Torii is more of a visual experience than gameplay heavy experience, as (indeed and rather) the gameplay loop isn’t constantly satisfying. Behold!

Yes, then, whilst the gameplay can be a bit lacking, and the controls a little wonky, plus the odd performance drop on our laptop, we didn’t really mind any of that.

There’s a plot to all of this. Players take control of Ipa as she faces a journey through her guilts and fears, making it a very psychological type journey. Her goal? To find her little sister. To do this, you complete puzzles and engage in stealth elements.

All of which plays out to abstract, surrealist environments. And that Torii art style really is something, consistently engaging and dramatic. A fantastic achievement given this is another example of a solo indie dev.

Moswig has also updated the game with free DLC in September 2024, turning Torii into Torii: The End of the Beginning. This gave the game a graphical update, new puzzles, and performance improvements.

The performance issues when the game first launched in November 2022 held it back. Reviews on Steam were negative about that, so it’s great to see the dev addressing that.

Minor issues with that still, plus the loose controls, don’t dent the experience.

Torii is two hours of art, ambience, and chilled out puzzle solving. Think of the game as a visual haiku, where your journey through an eerie landscape is rewarded by quiet contemplation (and the like). Good fun, then, if rather simplistic. But at a cheap asking price, it’s a rewarding experience with some glorious visual splendour.