It’s a shame that these skills don’t cross over to other levels, but figuring out how to best use these new skills is certainly a lot of fun. Certain levels provide Rime and Ember with new powers including creating barriers that they can walk over to reach difficult to get to spaces, gusts of wind, and frozen rivers. And that was all before even starting on the puzzles, which range from the simple to the near impossible. This Metroidvania style will appeal to many, particularly fans of Hollow Knight and Ori and the Blind Forest, but for myself and my willing co-player, the style led to more frustration than enjoyment as we often found ourselves getting lost in our attempts to backtrack to find the missing scarves. This style of gameplay gives you the option to explore all the different landscapes on offer, complete the puzzles you want or are able to solve, and then come back to the rest later on. The level designs are undeniably gorgeous, with depth and detail in both the fire and ice versions of the environments, which is enhanced by the non-linear fashion of the game. Cute or cringey, it’s up to you but the emphasis on romance narratively is the driving force of the game - this made evidently clear by its Valentine’s day release.

On taking to see their separate worlds in ruin one day they each set out to find answers – which appear in the shape of magical scarves – and find the love of each other along the way. Directed towards two-player co-op, the game asks you to play as either Ember, the girl from the land of fire, or Rime, the boy from the world of ice. Degrees of Separation, however, imbues teamwork into every aspect of the game. But with some slightly awkward mechanics and a narrative that will definitely be either hit to miss, this game might just be nicer to look at.Ĭooperation, in either multiplayer or single-player mode, is typical of many if not all puzzle platformers. Based on the theme of contrasting seasons and temperatures, the environments of this 2D adventure blend effortlessly with the original story that unravels as the game progresses.

With their latest release Degrees of Separation (available on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Steam) it’s clear to see the efforts made to do just that. Indie game studio Moondrop, in their own words, strive to explore new possibilities in game design and wrap it inside great visual experiences. Degrees of Separation is a game that you’ll either love or hate

Degrees of separation switch