Shape of the World is a game in where you explore a strange planet that comes to life as you travel. Trees, fauna, and even the terrain itself are formed before your eyes, making each step you take contain a pleasant new vista. It is an interesting mechanic with faraway lands appearing barren, then suddenly finding it to appear like something you’d have as a wallpaper once you step near that location. Where you are or even what you are is never so much as mentioned. This is all about the journey through this abstract world, containing no puzzles or story to push you forth.
The most direction you are given is to make your way to some mysterious giant triangles in the distance, but you are completely free to explore to your heart’s content. Initially, the only thing your character can do is jump. After some experimentation, you discover that you can also click on most any plant life to shatter it from existence and in exchange, receive a short burst of speed that flings you a certain direction. Imagine using the grappling hook from Just Cause and you’ll get a good idea of how this intriguing movement system lets you move faster instead of using a simple sprint function.
You can rush directly towards those far-off triangles if you choose, though the demo isn’t all that long to begin with and you’ll be missing out on some content. Scattered around the area are seeds. Gather enough of them will get you the ability to throw some, which in turn will instantly grow into a variety of possible vegetation. You can use that vegetation to further make use of the boost based movement system to quickly get around or just to decorate an area. A fun little touch when throwing seeds is that tossing one at a creature will cause it to burst into a paint-like substance. These have no bearing on your over goal whatsoever, yet this is exactly what they set out to make, a stress-free experience to unwind in.
The opening area you find yourself isn’t infinite, however. There will eventually come a time that you have to progress as mountains will grow once you go too far and impede your ability to go any further. Before that, you have a fair bit of seeds to find if you so choose. A striking thing that happens when you collect enough of them is that the entire color scheme of the world changes. It can appear quite gorgeous at times, but in others, the contrast is far too bright and blinds you, causing you to rush to the collect more to change it again. Stepping through a triangle also has the same effect, so if you find yourself with one of these unpleasant combinations of overly bright colors, walking through one will rotate the color scheme again.
Its sound and music are no slouch in comparison to the amazing scenery. They are subtle and contained, but does quite a good job of breathing life into the world. From what I’ve seen so far, Shape of the World is shaping up to be a Walking Sim that appears to be well worth a look for fans of the genre. The lack of voice-overs, seemingly hidden meanings, and over the top spectacles is refreshing. It takes a certain talent to create something complex using something simple, and given how this demo ended, the best is likely still ahead. Here’s hoping that Shape of the World lives up to its potential. It is currently set to release June 5th for $12.99 or your regional equivalent.
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