Unravel Review

I had my eye on this title after the positive reception it got when it first launched and I ended up grabbing a copy (well a digital code) from Game the other week. I have not regretted my decision to buy it one bit! While this is a bold statement at this stage, from my own point of view this is one of the best games I’ve played so far this year!

Unravel is certainly a puzzle game, but its production values are also superb! As Yarny you are basically tasked to find missing pieces of a photo book (which captures special moments in time), which in itself is a lovely concept.

Using your body!

Each level is depicted by a picture frame and this opening level selection process gives you a snippet of what to expect from the physics of the game; as Yarny you literally need to use your own body to traverse the environment! In a 'Honey I Shrunk the Kids' kind of way it certainly opens you up to a whole new world!

With the camera's focus solely on Yarny you are really seeing the environment through his own eyes and the detail, that you would normally take for granted, such as the flowers or a small apple on the ground, are amplified ten-fold! On top of this Yarny's expressions also speak a thousand words and I can literally stop and pause for a moment just to watch how he tries to chase a butterfly or how he shakes water of his body after being submerged in a puddle.

This expressional quality is helped by the lush graphics which are truly outstanding! Not to mention the calming musical score!

Puzzle Quality

Not only is the aesthetic quality a win, it’s also the puzzle solving elements that are equally as enjoyable.

As the main title header suggests you Unravel the Yarn from your own body in order to get through each level. This usually involves manipulating objects - in the excellent level designed world - such as dragging pieces of wood, or lassoing yourself onto branches in order to progress.

You can even tie your Yarn between two branches to create a bridge. The latter can then be used as a trampoline, to grab an out-of-reach branch or alternatively it can be used to drag items to new areas, so you can grab a ledge for example.

The gameplay video below will give you a snippet of this in-action and while the puzzles are not overly tasking they will at times lead you to scratch your head! I supposed the main challenge is that you eventually run out of Yarn, so you need to get to points where you can replenish this. It all adds to the puzzle solving aspect.

Note: The above Yarn shortage is more of a challenge when trying to find the 5 hidden items on each level!

Dying is also inevitable, as some sections offer timed events i.e. where you have to outfox crows or jump between collapsing platforms. There is an Xbox One (the version I played on) achievement for completing each level without dying and after 12 hours of gameplay I have so far only managed to finish one level without getting killed!

The secrets and achievements certainly offer the replay value and this is a game I truly want to get 100% on!

Yarnnnnnny!

Watching Yarny die is not easy either. I have to admit that for a grown adult I did cry out in disbelieve when he bit the bullet one time! It’s amazing how the developers have injected something so rare into a game these days i.e. a character that you really care about and want to nurture/guide safely to the end!

Summary

Unravel is a beautiful game that I cannot believe is available at such a low price. Kudos to the dev team as well for making something that does not require mindless gun-play or non-stop action to be entertaining! The only thing I will say is that on a few occasions it can be quite sad, in that the music and a few levels are not as bright and cheerful as the rest. Yet for me, as I said at the start, it is one of the best games I've played this year! Well worth investing in and more importantly it’s a game that you can truly enjoy with the whole family!