The Indie Informer

A small, elderly man stands alone. He is taking the first steps, I’m told, on a long journey. The world I find myself in functions on a physical but also metaphorical level, as does the journey. Though vague about the exact narrative details, my guides through Selfloss divulge enough for me to put together the basics.

I am emotionally wounded in a kind of world beyond the world, and I’m seeking to heal the miasma overtaking this mystical land – which, in turn, might heal me. But, not one to suffer long under sad story implications, I quickly make myself laugh by discovering my aging character sweats profusely after completing a dodge role. It’s a markedly funny animation in a game dealing with heavy subject matter.

The team around me is hesitant to say too much, and likewise, the game intentionally keeps its communication to a minimum. I enjoy this approach to game design, believing it shows respect to players. The design, however, needs to be impeccable for this to work without becoming frustrating.

The camera in Selfloss is the main signpost for me through the demo, but I hope the metaphorical light pointing to the right path gets turned up a little before launch. The world is striking. Glancing around in the beginning, my eyes fall on a few things that aren’t some variation of grey.

It’s gloomy but well-defined. I’m told the developer is a big fan of color theory and uses it here to great effect. Stepping into the main area of the demo, my eyes shoot to a field of bright yellow sunflowers, made more radiant now that my eyes have been starved of color.

Exploration takes place both on land and sea, and the boat mechanics are really fun. The momentum pushes me on and makes drifting easy — I feel so agile and seaworthy.

Mostly, the action revolves around environmental puzzles. My staff, which at first seems simply like an old man’s cane is endowed with the ability to shine light around it, even when I’m not holding it. Using this, I heal forever-sleeping turtles, unshackle flying whales, and cleanse myself from Selfloss‘ encroaching sickness.