Scourge: Outbreak - How Good Was It, Really?

Developed by: Superbrothers and Capybara Games Published by: Capybara Games Available on: iPhone/iPad/Android/Windows/Linux/Mac Year of Release: 2011 Launch Trailer

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP is a trip, in both the literal and psychedelic sense of the word. It transports players to a world where magic, song, and the natural world are intertwined; a world inhabited by simple mountain folk, terrible specters, and beings of impossible geometry. This game aches to differentiate itself from the rest of the point-and-click adventure crowd, and its story-telling and gameplay mechanics are demonstrative of that fact. Some may feel that Superbrothers’ gameplay is too simplistic for their taste; others might find its narrative obtuse; but those of you who are willing to get lost, to not understand, and to surrender fully to the experience will find that this game has a lot to offer.

Players are thrust into the role of a Scythian who, together with her loyal canine companion, has wandered far from the war-torn steppes of her home country, deep into the forests of the Caucasus. The Scythian seeks a “burdensome book of sinister sworcery known as the Megatome”, which she intends to use to defeat the deathless specter that lives within the belly of Mount Mingi Taw. To most who attempt to read it, the Megatome appears unintelligible. But the Scythian is a Superbrother – a “sworcerer” (sorcerer) capable of using song to expand her consciousness, revealing a hidden “mystical musical dimension” – so the words fall into place and the book reveals it’s meaning to her. By using the “Song of Sworcery”, the Scythian can read the Megatome, and pursue a means of completing her woeful task.

Storytelling in Superbrothers is minimalist in nature, choosing to elaborate on only the most important of details while leaving the rest up to the player’s interpretation. Many questions are raised over the course of the adventure, but players who expect answers will be sorely disappointed. It’s a very personal experience – much like a psychedelic trip – and I expect everyone who completes it will come away with their own understanding of what the game’s symbols represent.

The game’s presentation is rather unusual. Unlike most games, which feature a series of levels/chapters that are meant to be played continuously, Superbrothers is divided up into four “sessions”, and recommends that players take a break in between each session. A mysterious character known only as “The Archetype” speaks directly to the player during the game’s interludes; his purpose is unclear, but he often comments on the plot and provides subtle hints to the player regarding upcoming challenges. The Archetype appears to be the only character in the game who truly understands what’s happening, yet he never fully divulges his secrets. At times this can be frustrating, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s for the best. After all, it’s entirely possible that having all the answers would defeat the game’s sense of mystery, rendering it predictable and boring.

Point-and-click adventure veterans will find Superbrothers’ control scheme familiar. Movement is achieved by either double-clicking the desired destination, or by pressing and holding the left-mouse button while pointing the cursor in the appropriate direction. Interaction with the rest of the environment works in much the same way; items such as the magic mushrooms found growing all over the forest can be double-clicked; and pressing-and-holding left-mouse over the Scythian will cause her to use the Song of Sworcery. From within this expanded state of consciousness, the player is able to discover and free magical beings known as Sylvian Sprites by clicking on or swiping across various objects in the environment. These simple interactions compound over the course of the game, creating a variety of interesting and unique puzzles – such as using the Song of Sworcery to reposition the Moon, or to “strum” a series of waterfalls as if they were the chords of a guitar.

Superbrothers features a combat system, although it’s hardly one of the game’s highlights. Pressing the right-mouse button will cause the Scythian to unsheathe her sword, and a subsequent left-click will cause her to strike – triggering a combat mini-game. The perspective shifts to one similar to that of the fight sequences in Pokémon, and players can either strike at their enemy or block incoming attacks. Combat is repetitious – especially so during the latter stages of the game when the player is being more aggressively pursued by the deathless specter. The first boss fight is not only visually magnificent, but also provides a neat twist on the game’s otherwise bland combat. However, that same creativity and sense of surprise is absent in the second and third bosses, which are disappointingly similar to the first.

In defiance of established game design norms, the player’s health actually gets lower over the course of the game – decreasing from 5HP all the way down to 1HP. I can’t recall ever playing a game that did this before, and it genuinely surprised me. The game’s narrative justifies this feature by visually demonstrating to the player the incredible toll their journey has taken on the Scythian’s body. As the player’s health decreases, the Scythian becomes prone to momentary collapses, and begins to even cough up blood. This adds an extra wrinkle of difficulty and tension to the late-game confrontations, but not enough to overcome how overwhelmingly bland the combat system is.

Regardless of how one may feel about Superbrothers’ story or gameplay, its beauty is undeniable. The highly-detailed pixel art and haunting soundtrack combine in such a way as to give Superbrothers an ethereal quality. Its art style is reminiscent of Gods Will Be Watching, even though both games feature radically different settings and themes. However, what sets them apart is the quality of their animations. Gods Will Be Watching is a beautiful game, don’t get me wrong, but it feels static and lifeless when compared with Superbrothers. The way the trees and bushes rustle in the wind, the game camera’s slight nodding motion, and a myriad of other subtle animation effects make Superbrothers feel alive. It’s the little things, such as the way the Scythian kneels down to pick mushrooms or to perform the Song of Sworcery, that make this character seem so real – more so than her appearance or any line of dialogue could have possibly achieved. Jim Guthrie’s soundtrack is phenomenal, and conveys a wide range of emotions. From the dreamlike and whimsical Little Furnace, to the mysterious and threatening chords of Doom Sock, each track is used to great effect throughout the course of the game.

Superbrothers is a psychedelic experience that forgoes mass appeal in favor of pursuing an artistic vision instead. I found its storytelling, art, and music to be engrossing and provocative – particularly the latter two, both of which did an incredible job of conveying the story’s emotions. At the same time, however, I also thought the gameplay became repetitive. Superbrothers hardly reinvents the wheel, but it is a unique experience – and one that I’m glad I had the chance to appreciate. I allowed myself to become lost in the Caucasus, to appreciate the sights and sounds along the way even if their meanings were unclear. I climbed to the highest peaks, and fell back down to the lowest valleys. I pursued mysterious, geometric beings through the dreams of the mountainfolk, while being pursued by a terrible darkness myself. I stared at the moon and the stars while using music to expand my consciousness. How good was Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, really? Come get lost, and find out for yourself.

My question of the game is as follows; what are some other games that feature non-traditional mechanics, similar to Superbrothers’ ever-decreasing health bar, and how did you feel about them? As always, I look forward to reading all of your replies. Thanks for taking the time to read this!


Links Cited * Superbrothers Screenshot Album - Imgur * Gods Will Be Watching Critique by HershalTalmage - Reddit * Superbrothers Gameplay Reel - Streamable

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