Ageless is an adventure platform game releasing on the Nintendo Switch and PC today. It features a heart-warming tale of a young girl trying to find her way in the world. With the help of a magical bow, she not only discovers herself but that everyone has a purpose.
It brings retro graphics and sounds to the Nintendo Switch. How well does the game perform? Find out more in our Ageless Review below.
| Platform reviewed: | Nintendo Switch |
| Release date: | 28 July 2020 |
| Price: | £10.99 / $14.99 / R244 |
| Genre: | Adventure, Platformer, Puzzle |
| Players: | 1 |
| File size | 503 MB |
| Developer: | One More Dream Studios |
| Publisher: | Team17 |
Contents
Ageless Story
Ageless presents a girl named Kiara who falls into a dark world. She is on a mission to find a magical object that grants special abilities. These powers, while useful, are unique to every person that visits the ancient shrine.
Kiara receives the gift to age and de-age flowers and animals through the use of a mystical bow. It’s clear from the storyline that she’s a lonely girl, lost in the darkness of her own despair. In a way, the questions she asks in the narrative reflects the thoughts of many people in the real world, wondering what their real purpose in life is.
The Ageless story is an emotional tale, painted on the canvas of an adventure platform game. As you progress through the story, Kiara discovers her purpose, realising that everyone has a special gift. While she helps others, she also aids in crawling out of the dark pit of her thoughts.
There are different chapters that you can play through. Obviously, you’ll need to complete one before you can enter the next. It provides a beautiful outline for a progressive story that releases as you complete each section in the plot. One More Dream Studios has done a great job delivering this tale on the Nintendo Switch.
Gameplay
Playing Ageless on the Nintendo Switch
There’s no doubt in my mind that the Nintendo Switch provides the perfect platform on which indie game developers can release their titles. Ageless is easy to play with very few controls to master. You’ll mostly jump and shoot your bow, with wall jumping making an appearance.
The trick comes in learning how to use your bow. Yes, you’ll shoot at animals and plants to make them grow and shrink. However, sometimes it’s best if you don’t shoot objects at all.
There were times when the Ageless controls become frustrating. Kiara wouldn’t jump how I wanted her too, sometimes knocking her head against the roof of a cavern. Yet, it took a few more tries before I realised that I was approaching the plants or floor incorrectly. If I shot the correct plants at the right time, I could traverse the platforms properly.
There are moments in the Team17 adventure platform game where time slows down during the action. When you jump and aim your bow at objects, everything freezes. This feature gives you enough time to perfect your aim before releasing the arrow.
There are occasions where I’ve died more times than I would have liked due to game mechanics. When you aim at objects, you use the same stick for targeting that you would for walking. While Kiara mostly stands still while aiming, there are glitchy moments where she’ll suddenly walk during target mode. At other times, she’ll run immediately off a cliff after aiming if you don’t take your finger off the stick fast enough.
Puzzle Platformer
If you think there’s no challenge in this game, think again. Ageless rises in difficulty the further you progress. One of two things will happen. You’ll either enjoy the obstacles, continuing on the journey. Or you’ll get so annoyed at trying to solve the puzzles, that you’ll rage-quit.
Fortunately, rage quitting is not an option for a game reviewer. You’ll face your own inner demons while getting Kiara to face hers. Once you get the hang of how the puzzles work and the best ways to pass them, you’ll give yourself a large pat on the back.
The puzzles chiefly consist of ageing and de-ageing animals and plants at the right moment. Sure, every section of each stage is a puzzle with moving objects and obstacles. Yet, using the fauna and flora helps you move past most of these objects.
Replayability
Strangely, there is no cause to come back to the heart of darkness when you’re done. Yes, you can replay chapters, but there’s no motivation to do so. I’ve played other titles similar to Ageless, such as Finding Teddy 2, where new abilities allow you to go back to unlock previously inaccessible areas. Team17’s adventure platform game is chiefly linear in progression.
How Ageless looks
There’s nothing special about the graphics in Ageless. One More Dream Studios presents the same retro graphics we’re becoming used to, with the main effects consisting of the bows powers and some platform elements. There was no moment where I was completely awed by how amazing the scenery or environment looked.
I’m not saying that it’s completely bad. There are some good designs, specifically when it comes to the platform puzzle elements. The map layout and creature designs look good. Yet, there’s nothing that’s truly striking in the graphics.
How it sounds
Ageless presents a decent soundtrack that suits the sombre tale of a girl lost in her own depression and lack of purpose. I particularly enjoyed the voice-over narrative of Kiara, that sweet voice of a girl that sounds very emotional at times. The actress pulled it off very well, digging deep to find the right verbal connection to emotional distress.
Ageless Nintendo Switch – Final Verdict
Ageless is the sad, beautiful tale of a young girl fighting her way through the darkness of her despair. By finding her purpose, she realises that she can help others while saving herself. The graphics and music portray her journey through the different chapters, with the actress carrying such gorgeous tones for the Kiara character.
It’s an adventure platform worth buying if you enjoy a wonderful narrative played out through puzzles. The graphics could do more to improve on character designs and bring more life to creatures, while the gameplay can be improved slightly. All in all, we recommend playing the game if you easily fall in love with story narratives.
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