To say this 12 months has been chock-full of weird premises could be an understatement, particularly within the indie area. Nevertheless, even with all of the unorthodox mechanics, go away it to Double Nice Productions to show it could actually nonetheless ship a really distinctive state of affairs in contrast to anything on the market. An journey title informed with none phrases, starring a sentient lighthouse that wanders round a seemingly ruined island with sentient wonders of the mechanical and organic variety, the place your solely companion is a seabird? Suffice it to say, I used to be in, however nonetheless skeptical. In any case, as intriguing as premises like Headlander and RAD have been up to now (each additionally directed by Lee Petty), their execution failed to essentially stay as much as the identical.
That’s not fairly the case in Keeper, fortunately, and even when it isn’t precisely breaking the mould so far as titles within the style go, there’s nonetheless an extremely vibrant and mysterious world to discover with some enjoyable and unorthodox puzzles. And that’s with out factoring within the visuals and music, with artwork route channelling that signature Double Nice really feel whereas nonetheless feeling distinctive.
The story begins out in an easy sufficient trend. A flock of seabirds is pursued by a mysterious swarm, and certainly one of them is separated, dropping all the way down to the island and deciding on a dilapidated lighthouse. Simply when it appears the tip is close to, the latter springs to life, flashing its gentle and dispersing the swarm, or no less than inflicting it to retreat. From that second on, the 2 journey collectively, and actually, issues solely get weirder from there.
“It’s to Double Nice’s credit score that every of those entities is brimming with character, and even in the event you don’t immediately work together with a lot of them, they nonetheless play a component within the puzzles.”
However the lighthouse is about as baffled by its sudden sentience as we’re. It groans and creaks from its stationary place, crumbing in a heap earlier than inevitably gaining legs and the present of motion…earlier than unceremoniously tipping over once more as a result of its sheer heft. Even because it learns steadiness, that heft is at all times obvious all through, whether or not it’s dashing rapidly or skulking via darkish caverns. In a way, it’s nearly consultant of the lighthouse’s temper. It will probably take a little bit of getting used to, particularly whereas shifting round and orienting the sunshine, but it surely feels pure after a degree.
Nonetheless, it’s the mysteries of Keeper that may push you to progress ahead. Why did the lighthouse instantly awaken? What is that this mysterious energy that enables it to govern the setting? What is that this island, and who’re its denizens? How influential was the seabird in its awakening, and simply what’s that big beacon on the mountaintop that the lighthouse is seemingly compelling in the direction of? What precisely is the swarm, and why are they so incessantly chasing after the seabird? What occurred to the remainder of the flock? These are solely a handful of questions that come to thoughts, and Double Nice is more than pleased to throw a number of extra whereas maintaining you guessing.
As a result of it’s a wordless narrative, you’ll need to piece issues collectively by yourself…or not, if merely barreling via environments and taking on the earth is extra to your liking. Keeper is as a lot of a vibe as it’s a narrative, because of its surreal setting. There’s a post-apocalyptic factor to the island, nearly as if its prior civilisation was lengthy since worn out, however you then encounter a few of the stranger beings that inhabit it. The rocks which can be additionally wandering round on 4 legs. The sentient tree that actually wants these three blue orbs to allow you to via. The door seems simply completely depressed as a result of its symbols are misaligned, and it’s represented by a single eye.
It’s to Double Nice’s credit score that every of those entities is brimming with character, and even in the event you don’t immediately work together with a lot of them, they nonetheless play a component within the puzzles. Your major features as a lighthouse, no less than initially, embody strolling round, dashing via obstacles and shining a light-weight (which may be targeted to often burn via sure elements of the setting, amongst different issues). The seabird additionally helps out, whether or not it’s clasping onto levers and turning them, retrieving gadgets, shaking fruit from timber or pulling objects. It’s all easy sufficient and straightforward to know, particularly from the outset, till you do not forget that shining a light-weight on these sentient rocks causes them to instantly drop down, breaking something beneath them, which is useful for retrieving an object within the setting.
“That selection is apparent within the environments as properly, which vary from intensive lush greenery to shadowy catacombs the place a darkish presence resides within the island’s underbelly for some unknown function.”
Finally, you’ll manipulate different searchlights to clear a path for the lighthouse and even shift between the realms of the lifeless and residing (no less than as I perceive it) to show the seabird right into a spirit that phases via partitions, restoring its corporeal state to truly manipulate the switches. It’s solely a teaser for a few of the really weird mechanics to come back, but it surely additionally highlights Keeper’s confidence in its gameplay selection. Even so simple as it could actually really feel at occasions with all of the mulling about from one level to the subsequent, and even when these puzzles aren’t particularly tough, they nonetheless really feel distinctive and, extra importantly, don’t overstay their welcome.
That selection is apparent within the environments as properly, which vary from intensive lush greenery to shadowy catacombs the place a darkish presence resides within the island’s underbelly for some unknown function. Even when some components will creep sure gamers out (warning to these affected by arachnophobia, if it wasn’t apparent by now why), Keeper is solely awash in unbelievable particulars and surreal findings. That is additional aided by the music, which alternates between upbeat and kooky to dire and foreboding relying on the situation. And even with the dearth of spoken dialogue, the animation work is robust sufficient you could really really feel the camaraderie between the lighthouse and the seabird growing in actual time.
After all, it’s price citing efficiency and optimisation on PC. An Intel Core i5-11400, 32 GB RAM and an RTX 4060 – properly above the minimal necessities, however properly under the really useful. Regardless of this, I nonetheless managed to run it in 1080p with all graphics settings at Excessive and with DLAA enabled. Body Era is chargeable for making certain the body fee stays at a comparatively constant 60 frames per second all through, with minimal drops. And that’s saying one thing, given the sheer quantity of element, lighting, shadows, and results current all through, even with this animated artwork model.
“Keeper doesn’t attempt to overwhelm you with its environments and storytelling a lot as ease you in, providing some unbelievable environments, beautiful visuals and incredible music alongside the way in which.”
With so many unbelievable video games launching this season, to not point out the opposite two main choices that Microsoft is publishing this month alone, Keeper is unquestionably liable to being swept below the rug. The comparatively modest $30 value belies an expertise that isn’t too lengthy, and which may generally really feel a bit too linear at factors (although you sometimes have some freedom).
Nevertheless, for many who keep it up, there’s a sweeping narrative to discover, one which goes past your common quest to save lots of the world, specializing in unlikely friendships in opposition to weird odds. Keeper doesn’t attempt to overwhelm you with its environments and storytelling a lot as ease you in, providing some unbelievable environments, beautiful visuals and incredible music alongside the way in which. Once more, it’s not precisely pushing the journey puzzle style ahead, however by way of execution, particularly with regards to Double Nice titles, it’s a hit after which some.
This recreation was reviewed on PC.
