Until some time ago, a big amount of the games that we saw in most parts of the videogames industry involves a genre which seems to be forgotten: 3D Platforms. Classics like “Crash Bandicoot”, “Spyro the Dragon”, “Super Mario 64” and many others, influenced the childhood of many players and changed the way and the culture of platform games, in the transition from 2D worlds to the 3D worlds.

Today, it’s most common to see independent developers rescuing the nostalgia of 3D Platforms or even the most classic game publishers, like Nintendo, with the tireless Mario. However, one more time, it’s an indie game like “Wavetale” that shows how games of this genre have more space than they seem to have.

“Wavetale”: a “new” old game

With vivid colours, astonishing aesthetics and an engaging story, “Wavetale” was initially an exclusive game for Google Stadia and has recently been launched, on 12^th December, for PC, Playstation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X e Series S.

The game is focused on the Sigrid character as she explores a almost submerged place after the consequences of a war with a little hand from a shadow who helps her to “walk through the water”.

This world isn’t completely destroyed after war, but it’s well affected by the consequences of this clash. The game intercalates moments of fast pace platform, that remember some of the modern Sonic games, with beautiful sequences of storytelling in a good and touching way, for the ones who like deep stories.

The combat doesn’t have much variety during the game, but the highlight goes to the fast movements of the protagonist: she can jump, glide, project herself to higher places and uses a network tool to smash their enemies, who are variables of a sticky and dark gloom, a consequence of everything that war made the inhabitants of this place suffer.

A quick adventure for a stream

“Wavetale” is interesting to play on stream for the ones who enjoy a calm game – but with fast movements and a great story. The game has a good amount of content, but can be finished quickly – between 5 and 7 hours to finish the main story.

Beyond the main history, “Wavetale” has some side quests that can be done during the advance of the story, when you interact with other characters and you can collect some hidden books to complete a diary and coins to buy clothes and customise Sigrid that, despite being only an additional thing, can be fun to the ones who enjoy changing the character’s appearance.

Having siad that, this is a short game and doesn’t have so much to do besides that, so it doesn’t have a big replayability.

One major problem to the stream question can be the lack of subtitles in some languages, which is a thing that can disturb the experience for a part of the viewership of the streamer in immersing in the story of the game, but as a short game, this could not be a big issue after all.

Wavetale

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch (2022)

Performance

Streamability

Audience Engagement

Replayability

Summary

“Wavetale” is a game that shows the force of the 3D Platforms still today, and rescues a little of the nostalgia and fulfils the lack of games that this style has today. For the fluidity and speed of the gameplay, can be greatly enjoyed when played on stream, but doesn’t have much content and can be finished really fast. It isn’t a hard game to be understood by the viewership who would watch it, besides the possible problem of not immersing in the story by the lack of subtitles and translation in some languages.

Ludovicoluka

I have 25 years, I produce content to internet for 4 years and I like retro games, indies and I’m an enthusiast for new launches. I have as my favorite games Donkey Kong Country 2, Super Mario World, Hollow Knight and Red Dead Redemption II, per example. I like to experiment everything and the more, the better, but I never get sick of my comfort games!