Hiversaires Review

Hiversaires is a quite mysterious game. Dropping players straight into the deep end with no sign of a menu or introductory sequence is a bold step with a format not so keen to be welcoming to all. For that reason, it won't be for everyone. Hiversaires relies on those with an adventurous spirit to be intrigued enough to keep exploring.

That world waiting to be explored might not be the biggest, but it's certainly full of mystery. It's not clear where to go or what to do, with players being left to simply wander by stepping forward or moving to the left or right. Interaction with objects involves a simple tap, although such simplicity can still offer up plenty of potential. Its minimalist approach is backed up by similarly simple graphics, sticking with a black and white look that offers up plenty of eerie shadows.

Navigating such a place is still interesting though. Although, I'd strongly recommend drawing up a map to keep track of what's where. In keeping with the minimalist appearance of the game, there's no sign of a feature like that within the game. Notably, it's worth tracking where different objects and symbols reside, as they play quite the role. There's a lot of symbol based gameplay within, with players frequently having to figure out why something might change once tapped and how this helps them in some way. Again, there's no guidance here. It's not so much that the puzzles are tricky, just that it's all too easy to try to overcomplicate matters. Expect to sigh at oneself often, when it becomes apparent that the solution was right in front of one's nose.

Hiversaires really isn't going to be for everyone. It reminded me of how relatively lazy I am these days, used to games holding my hand for far too long. This title harks back to the old days where it was common to be thrown into the deep end with little help and no sign of a hints button. However, for those who have been gaming for quite a while, it's enjoyable going back to days gone by. Hiversaires might not be the longest of games, but it's certainly like little else currently out there.