The game industry can feel a little obsessive in it’s race to make every game bigger and better than anything that has come before it. Enough so, that if a AAA game isn’t absolutely innovative in every aspect it runs the risk of failure. Meanwhile, indie games can quietly utilize far more simple design elements and succeed. Especially if they manage to meld those elements together as perfectly as 2 Ton Studios has done with their 2D action/adventure title, Unto the End.
The cinematic combat adventure drew attention recently with its E3 PS4 announcement trailer. Despite the minimalist art style, every scene in the trailer conveyed a harshness and emotion befitting a journey of vengeance. The environments are stark and beautiful as players engage in violent and bloody sword-based tactical combat.
Our protagonist is fueled by grief after a monstrous creature has slaughtered his family. With nothing left to lose, he sets out to confront and kill the beast. With just this tease of narrative, players are already given plenty of motivation to see this story through to the bitter end. The game’s color pallet casts an unending dread as players must continuously fight their way towards what will surely be a bloody act of vengeance.
Making The Old New Again
Revenge is nothing new as far as character motivation. Even this same story has been told thousands of times before, yet the simple design let’s players focus less on the graphic spectacle and more on the emotion behind the character’s actions. The barren landscape makes every encounter that much more meaningful and interesting. Even the character’s body movements hold more narrative weight with less distractions to focus on.
Unto the End uses uncomplicated design to convey a story that is far more than the sum of its parts. The team at 2 Ton Studio have taken all the best aspects of indie gaming and polished them brighter than most big budget projects could dream. Expect to hear more about this game leading up to its 2018 release date.
