Attention: this is not a joke! Even though a hand-drawn adventure game Koira will release on April Fools’ Day, it certainly takes the topic of friendship seriously. I had a chance to try out a demo version of this title during Steam Next Fest and I can safely say that this musical journey is showing great promise.
You wake up in an enchanted forest and decide to follow a strange noise and discover a trapped puppy, which after being rescued becomes your best friend. Together you traverse the musical landscape, solve ancient puzzles, meet woodland creatures, and try to find your way home. Although you need to be careful along the way, as terrifying hunters lurk in the shadows…
Planet of Lana and Neva type of storywritting
Koira is a game that can as well be classified as a work of art – both graphics and soundtrack are equally stunning. Pastel colors alongside an impressive lighting invite players for an adventure into the unknown, where music is a key to successful communication. And since our character’s sounds resemble the tone of a flute while the puppy’s are smilar to a harmonica, they harmonize pretty well with each other. Since the very beginning the music acts as our support and reassurance on a quest to reach home.
There are no dialogues or written explanations, as there’s no need for them. The tale based on universally understood themes such as friendship, responsibility and curiosity about the world is simple yet emotional on its own, which is also reflected by intuitive mechanics and clear objectives. Though we get to solve some puzzles relying on activating mysterious monuments, our main focus is on taking care of our companion: feeding it, petting and playing with it. However, we still have room for just sitting down and enjoying the ambience or clouds passing in the sky.
Despite many cute and casual experiences, we also have to be ready to protect our friend from the relentless hunters, who we saw at the end of demo. I’m saying this now: if something bad ever happens to the dog, we’ll be throwing hands. As for now, the game did a great job at introducing us to the heartwarming narrative which is emphasized by remarkable presentation. If you’re a fan of story-rich adventures with a touch of cuteness, then you’ll definitely want to check out what Koira has to offer. And maybe it’ll turn out that the real treasure was the friends we made along the way.
You can play free demo of Koira on Steam.
English (UK) 
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