Title: Morkredd
Developer: Hyper Games
Publisher: Aspyr
Genre: 2.5D, Physics, Puzzle, Local Co-Op
Release Date: December 11, 2020
Available On: Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
Tested On: Xbox One
Light is a resource we sometimes take for granted. While it seems insignificant at times, it still brings a sense of comfort. Imagine, though, if that warm glow was your only friend in complete darkness. Despite the simple nature of it, Morkredd drives home how important it is to stay in the light. You may not consider the importance a shining light plays in one’s life. But this title will help one appreciate it much more.
Morkredd Gameplay
Platformer games have gained steadily in popularity recently. Some games create difficulty through boss battles. Others do so through puzzles. Morkredd puts the pressure onto a player by forcing them to rely on lights. The puzzles in this title are similar to the mirror puzzles in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Light sometimes had to fall in just the right places for me to proceed through. In the very first stage, I simply had to follow a will-o’-the-whisp. It sounds simple at first, but I had to be real careful not to trail behind. Staying long enough for the darkness to overtake me resulted in instant death.
If either of the two of your characters falls into darkness, it’s game over. It was frustrating, but it drove me to solve the puzzles faster as I progressed. While there are checkpoints to get to, they are not always close together. Some puzzles might require your characters to split up for a short time. Passing a certain spot in Morkredd would require pressing or pulling two buttons simultaneously. This was often hard to do if I didn’t pay attention to how the shadows fell. Oftentimes, I had to move both characters at the same time to avoid unnecessary death.
At one point, the spirit creature jumps into an orb. This orb then cast a huge amount of light around the level. Jumping into the orb did two things for me. It allowed me to use more light, but it also cast sharper shadows. One part of the game had be pushing the orb down a sharp hill. My characters had to run at the same speed. So, I was forced to improve my hand-eye coordination in the moment.
Are the Shadows in Morkredd Friends or Enemies?
The lights and shadows affected the player character. But this condition also affected other creatures touched by light. Some creatures in the environment are hidden in eggs. If the light falls just right onto the eggs, crab-like creatures escape from the shell. The creatures add an interesting danger element to the gameplay. To defeat them, I simply had to cover them in shadows. If they got too close to the light orb, they’d shatter it and both characters would perish. While they were dangerous to your safety, they were weak to the same thing your characters were.
While it appeared simple, defending against these creatures required some geometry. One has to aim the sharp angles so the creatures perish in the dark.
The Stuff of Nightmares
For the most part, the color palette of the game is restricted to few colors. Aside from black, white, and gray, one may also see intense reds and yellows as you progress. At one point, color seems to return to the environment that lost it. But as those colors return, it slowly twists the environment, creating new dangers and obstacles to contend with. Things went from stones and caves, to what appears to be limbs, spines, and eyes.
Much of the colorful environment reminded me of Dante’s Inferno. Morkredd’s environment towards the end was reminiscent of Dante Alighieri’s hell. It will likely fuel my nightmares for a few weeks. So I’d not recommend the game for anyone easily squeamish. Considering the look of the environment, the ending made much more sense. For me, at least, it appeared a large creature was using it’s own life to ensure the next generation’s survival. And only by working together, can there be any hope of light for the future.
Conclusion
Morkredd is a light-based 2.5d isometric platform game. Developed by Hyper Games, players can go on this light-based adventure solo or with a friend. I appreciated the addition of couch co-op. Not many games do this nowadays. And it added to the difficulty I encountered. While the game was short, it took dying a few times to see the solution to certain puzzles. That created the extra time I spent playing. If you can get through each puzzle in one try, the game should only take three hours. You can get the game on Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S.
Morkredd Review
Morkredd is an isometric platformer that can be played solo or through couch co-op. Players must use bend light and shadows to certain angles Will you defeat the creatures that lurk in the dark or will it swallow you whole?
Overall Score
Remarkable
Pros:
Mind-bending puzzles Interesting use of light and shadow Simple, but sharp graphics
Cons:
Shorter than I would’ve hoped
Your Rating:User Rating:
0/5 (3 votes)
Morkredd Review
Mind-bending puzzles
Interesting use of light and shadow
Simple, but sharp graphics
Shorter than I would’ve hoped
