Arise: A Simple Story

Item: Arise: A Simple Story
Rating: 3.8
Author: Game Reviews Team

Arise: A Simple Story is a game developed by Spanish studio Piccolo Studio and published by well-known studio Techland. Located in Catalonia, more specifically in Barcelona, Piccolo Studio is a startup studio. The studio head Alexis Corominas and his colleagues Jordi Ministral and Oriol Pujadó worked in the field of advertising and interactive art from 2000 until they founded a gaming studio called Macflai Games in 2010, based on mobile games and group games. Because of their passion and love for video games, they decided to create a studio dedicated to the development of computer games and home appliances. They founded Piccolo Studio in 2015 and after adding a number of talents to the studio, Arise: A Simple Story was developed. Let’s see how well they do in the studio’s first game.

The Story and Gameplay

The story revolves around the memories of an elderly person with his companion, and the game begins after the death of the elderly person. Then he watches his life pass before his eyes. They will control his memories from childhood to the end. An adventure full of feelings of joy and sadness, a simple romantic story, but the studio conveyed its feelings by telling the story excellently, without any lyrics or voice acting.

Gameplay and Features

The game consists of eight different phases. The gameplay is linear and the camera is almost fixed and cannot be controlled. The game can be classified as a platform jumping game where you have to constantly jump to overcome obstacles in each stage. One of the most important things in the game is changing time, as you can manipulate time by the second or even change an entire season to open roads and obstacles and continue the journey, for example by manipulating time. It dries quickly when time is advanced, and you can turn back time to restore water, or increase snow density to reach a high obstacle, and so on.

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The elderly person also has a rope that helps him swing to reach difficult places. I think the gameplay is good, especially when it comes to time manipulation, but the excessive jumping while traveling with a camera you can’t control made me a little uncomfortable. The game also features a cooperative mode with another player.

Visuals and Sound

The appearance of the game is very wonderful… enchanting graphics with a high artistic style and flair from the developers, eight areas with different views, as if you were in a dream world. There is no audio performance here, but the game presents a very nice music album that complements the charming appearance and makes for a beautiful experience in the studio’s first games. The game lasts approximately 4 hours and contains images of secret memories.

The game was reviewed on the PC version that we received from the publisher.

Pros

Engaging storytelling: Arise: A Simple Story effectively conveys emotions and tells a simple yet impactful story without the need for lyrics or voice acting.
Unique gameplay mechanics: The ability to manipulate time adds an interesting twist to the platform jumping gameplay, allowing players to overcome obstacles and progress through the game.
Beautiful graphics: The game’s enchanting graphics and high artistic style create a visually stunning and immersive experience, making players feel like they are in a dream world.
Charming music: The game features a well-composed music album that complements the visuals and enhances the overall experience.
Cooperative mode: Arise: A Simple Story offers a cooperative mode, allowing players to enjoy the game with a friend or family member.

Cons

Limited camera control: The game’s fixed camera and lack of control can be a bit uncomfortable, especially during excessive jumping sequences.
Short gameplay duration: With a playtime of approximately 4 hours, some players may find the game to be too short.
Lack of audio performance: While the music is charming, the absence of voice acting or other audio elements may be disappointing for some players.
Linear gameplay: The game follows a linear progression, which may limit replayability for those looking for more open-ended experiences.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Arise: A Simple Story PC Game

1. Who developed Arise: A Simple Story?

Arise: A Simple Story was developed by Piccolo Studio, a Spanish gaming studio based in Barcelona.

2. What is the gameplay like in Arise: A Simple Story?

The gameplay of Arise: A Simple Story is linear and revolves around platform jumping. Players control the memories of an elderly person and must overcome obstacles by jumping and manipulating time.

3. How does time manipulation work in the game?

In Arise: A Simple Story, players can manipulate time by the second or change entire seasons. This allows them to open roads, remove obstacles, and progress through the game. For example, players can dry up water by advancing time or restore it by turning back time.