Without a doubt in my mind, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP is by far the greatest gaming experience I've had yet this year. On any platform.
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP is by definition a point & click adventure title. I know that doesn't sound like much, but the game is truly so much more than that. The brain child of composer Jim Guthrie, art & design studio Superbrothers Inc, and developer Capybara Games; Sword & Sworcery is
definitely more of an experience than a game. From the moment you boot the game, you are introduced to a world that is a complete fusion of music & art with a heavy DOS era influence. An indie generation's take on games like Another World and Myst.
In Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, you take on the roll of a Scythian girl who is after an ancient book known as the Megatome. It's not that obvious at first however. In the beginning, you start off in the middle of a forest with no idea as to why you're there or what you're doing, and there's this dog. With no other direction, you start to walk. And then the music starts. It's here that you get your first introduction into the world of Sword & Sworcery. Moving along you come across a couple of the games memorable cast of characters. Two locals simply named "Girl" and "Woodsman". It's amazing how the game manages to give the NPCs so much character without them ever really saying anything, the Woodsman does have a few conversation pieces that standout as some of the game's funnier moments. In the first "session" you manage to retrieve the Megatome which allows you to read thoughts of other characters. This is what the game uses to help guide you through the experience. Each character has thoughts based on what is currently going on in the story, giving you an idea of what to do or where to go next.
Sword & Sworcery relies so heavily on it's soundtrack to set the mood, which it accomplishes in spades, that it becomes a game that I play like an album. I have certain parts of the game that I hurry up and play to just because at that one moment when it all comes together, and the rain starts, and the thunder happens, and that riff starts playing... You get it. The game recommends playing with headphones, I recommend a sound system. Loud. Not kidding.
Graphically, this game is more about pixels than polygons. A style that borrows so much from 8-bit, but makes it something truly unique and original.
As far as gameplay is concerned, S:S&S EP is pretty dry. It's very basic point & click scavenger missions with fights sprinkled about, but this really isn't about gameplay, as strange as it sounds. This is where the lines will be drawn among those who 'get it' and those who don't. It's true though. Sword & Sworcery is not for everyone.
