PS4 and PlayStation VR receive the latest game from Éric Chahi, creator of Another World. We analyze one of the virtual reality experiences of the year.
It is very recent, but have you ever heard the song “Entre poetas y prisonos”, by La Raíz? After finishing Paper Beast, the last work of Éric Chahi, we sat before the blank page that was this Reviews at the time and that song came to mind. His refrain was repeated over and over in our minds, like an echo. “We are the children of the verses; of poets and prisoners; The voice that screams between the bones; from the gutters to wake up; to the universe ”. It is stupid, one of those "crazy connections" that we all make, but perhaps it can help us to talk about the game at hand. At the end of the day, this is also a little madness and invites us to reflect and let ourselves be led by intuition. It sounds a bit mystical, but we couldn't expect anything else from Chahi, creator of key works in video game history, such as Another World and Heart of Darkness, or titles like, more recently, From Dust. So we will do that, let ourselves be carried away by intuition.
Continuing with the song, Éric Chahi is the son of France (Yerres, 1967), or what is the same, shares the birthplace with nouvelle vague and author cinema. It's in his blood. Chahi is a poet with his own world view, with his own label, and fortunately back in the eighties he chose the video game industry to capture that vision. But this decision also made him a prisoner. Prisoner of technology, of the exorbitant budgets of the sector and of the fear that these provoke to the companies, often gripped and suspicious of terms like “innovate” or “risk”. For this reason, Chahi has lavished so little on the sector in recent years, and when he has always done so, it was because he had important news and was accompanied by small teams. The same thing happens with Paper Beast, a game he signs with his brand new Montpellier studio, Pixel Reef (2016); that you use to experiment with virtual reality for the first time; and in whose credits no more than twenty people appear. A small project, exclusively for PS4 and PlayStation VR, that has the best and worst that has always characterized the author. That is to say, on the one hand it is unique and genuine, and on the other short, sometimes confusing and a bit ambiguous.
Origami and paper beasts
Broadly speaking, Paper Beast is a puzzle and exploration game. However, let no one understand "exploration" by going through labyrinthine levels riddled with secrets and details, or with clues and tools that later help us to overcome the different puzzles. The Paper Beast levels are huge stretches of empty terrain, mostly deserts and caves, and aside from a collectible in each of them, there's nothing else to look for, there's nothing hidden that can't be seen with the naked eye . When we speak of exploration, we refer rather to interaction. How the fauna and flora of your universe react to our presence. What we have to explore and discover is what the creatures of each phase are for, all of them made of paper. We have to learn to attract their attention, to protect them, to use them or simply to relate to them. A bit like Trico, from The Last Guardian. (Although if that one made you impatient, go knocking on wood).
The puzzles, on the other hand, consist mostly of going from point A to point B, turning the game at times into a "pastoral simulator" in which we cross beautiful landscapes accompanied by our flock of paper. This, which may seem very simple and straightforward, never is. In all our trips we will have to face mother nature. Along the way there will be overflowing rivers in which we can drown, areas where the wind is so strong that it throws our companions through the air, predators that surround us and assault us if we are not careful, plants that revolt against intruders, strangers weather effects … etcetera. This is where the footprint of Éric Chahi and his last stage become more visible, already focused on our origins and the environment. Links to From Dust, for example, go beyond the theme and the message that the game has in the background. They are also practical. Thus, and although they are not lavish too much, in Paper Beast there are objects that allow us to transform the terrain around us to lift mountain ranges, melt or freeze surfaces, and even have to manipulate the behavior of water, as if from a "god game" concerned. Completing the title involves learning how to use these objects and how to lead the “paper beasts” that surround us, taking us between 3 and 5 hours to overcome the main story.
A game with a message
Thus explained, its mechanics may not seem like anything out of this world and the game seems short and "more of the same". To some extent it is, but Paper Beast is also touched by a wand. It has a magic and charisma that many games lack today. And all thanks to “the vision” of Éric Chahi and his team, who have endowed the game with a moving and fascinating reflection on our planet, on the environment and the influence of the human being on it. The title is not an empty shell. It has a very nice message and it was well worth telling. On top of that, the developer has achieved this without using a single line of dialogue. There are no off-screen narrators, no cinematic sequences, and no great paragraphs that pass sentence and explain what we are seeing. Everything is poetry in motion, interaction. We will become aware of what we want to tell as we get involved in your world and modify it in our favor. We will be ourselves who interpret and try to order what we see. Not to mention that the title is capable of breaking the fourth wall and reflecting on itself and on the future, giving us more than a surprise. Do you remember the song we quoted at the beginning? "A voice that screams to wake up the universe." The intuition.
The trust that the title places in us and our ability to deduct not only applies to your background, but also to the puzzles. Paper Beast doesn't share anything with us other than the controls, and these are hardly made up of a couple of buttons. At no time will it take us by the hand through its levels, nor will it help us in the challenges they present. During most of the game freedom is appreciated, but sometimes it is not entirely clear if an area is a simple passing landscape or if something needs to be done in it. There are situations and moments a little obtuse, in which we do not know what is expected of us, or if anything is expected. But this is very punctual. Most of his puzzles are very simple, sometimes even a bit poor, and we have seen his solutions in other games of the genre and Chahi himself. The same happens with the endgame, a mode called Sandbox that acts as an editor and allows us to create our own "biome" placing all kinds of creatures, plants and natural elements. We say "biome" and not "level" because there is no way to manipulate the AI, set goals, or generate any kind of challenge or development. These creations can not be shared online either and it is a pity that the support and reinforcement provided by Sony has not served to enhance the tool. As it is, the Sandbox mode seems unfinished and is relegated to a kind of test with which we will only mess around for a few minutes. A little more travel in the mechanics of his adventure and some affection for this last option would have earned him whole.
Impeccably and artistically intoxicating
The game is seasoned by an impeccable technical section. Maybe it is not very demanding, ok, but the fact is that at the level of resolution and framerate we have no problem, and neither in terms of the use of virtual reality. In fact, the calibration is excellent and has not given us any problems during the hours that we have spent at your side. No dizziness or problems at the controls. Although you can play with two PlayStation Move (always preferred option when it comes to talking about this technology), Paper Beast has done a great job adapting to all and is one of those VR games where the experience with control works like a charm . The only downside that we could blame in the technical field (and it would be especially for looking for the cat's three feet) lies in the visual and movement options. We would have liked to be able to manage both the lighting (there is some level too dark) and the movement (which only allows us to move by teleport) in the settings. But it is a solid and remarkable work, which adds even more points thanks to the sound field. This one flaunts 3D sound (now also called 8D), which is played with a lot, and we have sound atmospheres and accompaniment that is both minimalist and essential.
However, where Paper Beast especially stands out is on an artistic level. Starting with the design of its creatures, all of them made of paper and with an origami aspect. There are them in different colors, sizes and shapes, with real and recognizable silhouettes (dogs, turtles, insects …), but also more imaginative (dragons ?, dinosaurs?). We can interact with them and the possibilities change depending on their weight, height and, ultimately, physical characteristics. The scenarios are not far behind either. Still empty, they are frankly beautiful places, the majority of virgin nature, deserts and caves, but some dare to mix with futuristic and strange elements, generating sensations similar to the monolith of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The choice of its cartoon look, with flat textures and contrasting colors does not go unnoticed either and surely has helped the technical result. Not to mention the weather effects, such as wind and water, that enter through the eyes and allow one of the most common aspects of virtual reality to shine: particles. Often there will be hundreds of paper cubs (and even entire creatures) being waved through the air or swept away by the current. Among these latest effects, the skies stand out, with some of the most beautiful images that we have seen of us in all our forays into virtual reality. Backgrounds and horizons made by hand as well as dynamic that are simply to be amazed.
CONCLUSION
Paper Beast is a relatively short, simple and yet satisfying puzzle and exploration game, lacking overly original mechanics. That said, the title is also a one-of-a-kind experience. On the one hand, because of the wonderful world in which we are immersed. His paper creatures are adorable, and studying and learning to relate to them is fascinating. Its stages are not far behind and, in addition to being colorful, they possibly have the best skies we've ever seen in virtual reality. On the other hand, surely the most important, Paper Beast is unique for the message behind it. The game does not tell a story, but instead shares a magnificent reflection on the human being and its effects on nature and the planet. He does it without a single line of dialogue, without saying "neither me" nor taking us by the hand, and develops his narrative through our own interaction with the environment and our own conclusions. A very smart bet that, even being part of a smaller project, leaves a great taste in your mouth and once again demonstrates the talent of its creator, Éric Chahi.
THE BEST
- The message behind it; the way of transmitting it.
- Visually precious.
- Our relationship with puzzles and creatures is very satisfactory.
WORST
- Short (between 3 and 5 hours).
- That your (limited) publisher is not online and allows to share creations.
- Some mechanics seem poor and already seen.
Okay
It meets the expectations of what is a good game, it has quality and does not have serious flaws, although it lacks elements that could have taken it to higher levels.
