GoNintendo Impressions - WiiWare 'Game of Summit' - LostWinds

Ever since I found out what games were going to be at the summit, I knew that I wanted in on some LostWinds action. When the first details/screens were released, I just knew that the game would be right up my alley. The visual style, atmosphere and music all seemed to scream out at me. As the summit inched closer, I could feel myself getting more and more excited for the game. Day two of the summit was focused on WiiWare, and I made my way right for LostWinds. Before I get into the details of the game, I have to say that the people from Frontier manning the kiosk were the nicest people at the show. You could see just how passionate they were about LostWinds. They were really trying to make something special…something that was worth the Wii owner’s time. It was so fantastic to hear these guys talk about their project. Our conversation only reinforced what I already knew. LostWinds is going to be the premiere title to grab on WiiWare.

LostWinds takes everything that I love about gaming and throws it all together into a bite-sized package. First off, Frontier has crafted an absolutely gorgeous title. This game looks great both near and far. A soft, filtered look that oozes with an eerie calm. The devs aren’t afraid to show off the game either. You can zoom in extremely close on the main character, or zoom far out to get a better look at the play area. Keep in mind that this is a 2d game with polygonal characters and environments. This style seems to really work well for the game. The color pallet deserves a mention as well. There are a lot of earth tones, very warm colors. They help to really bring out the style of the game, and make you feel relaxed while playing.

Gameplay is a mix of platforming and puzzle solving. Anyone that has grown up on the Nintendo staples of Mario and Zelda should be very comfortable here. You’ll be working your way from platform to platform, area to area. You’ll also come across puzzles that will have you scratching your head for a bit. The good news is, all these puzzles (the ones that I’ve played) had solutions that made perfect sense. It wasn’t some outlandish ideas that kept me from continuing on. You just have to really keep an eye on your surroundings, and you should be more than capable of progressing at a steady pace.

Of course, the major differences that LostWinds has comes via the wind control. Wind is the major gameplay mechanic, and directly influences the platforming an puzzle aspects. The main character cannot jump, so you must use the power of the wind to move him above. The wind is controlled via the Wiimote. There is a target on screen that lets you know where you are. You then hold down the A button to draw a path with the wind, and then release to cause the gust. This is how you make your character cross from platform to platform. There will be plenty of jumps that you’ll need to make, so it’s important that you get a good handle on how the wind control works. If you run your character right off the edge of a platform, he will do a slight jump. You can use this to help get a little more distance off your wind gusts. Even better is the fact that using wind slows time down. You go into a sort of bullet-time mode. As long as you hold the A button down, the game stays in slow mo. This can help you to make minute adjustments to your character, and his flight path. Finally, you can also create wind at the main character’s feet to help him slow from a fall. This is to keep you from getting damage after a high fall.

I really don’t want to ruin too much in the way of puzzles, but I have to tell you one of them to give you the feel for the game. There are certain parts in the game where you have to use seed pods to progress. It’s your job to carry these pods, and plant them in an area where they can help you access a new portion of the game. Once you find the correct place to plant the seed, you also have to find a way to water it. This can be done by blowing a gust of wind through a waterfall. This will cause the water to spread over the seed, and the seed will then grow. Once fully grown, you hop inside the pod, and shoot yourself into the air via a gust of wind. This way, you can access all new heights. The puzzles get much more detailed than this, but hopefully this one example will give you an idea of what to expect.

As if the gameplay wasn’t enough to have you drooling at the mouth, the rest of the game will push you over the edge. The soundtrack is stunning. This is another surreal, atmospheric approach that pulls you into the game world even more. Sometimes the tracks are so quiet that you barely notice them, but it’s that minimalist approach that makes things so much more enjoyable. It’s not just the soundtrack, but the entire design of the game that is soaked in heavy atmosphere. I really think that this is an area where a lot of games are lacking. LostWinds gives me the same kind of feeling that titles like Ico and Beyond Good and Evil did. I spent a short amount of time with the game, and yet I care about the storyline and character already. It’s not often that I care about a game in such a way. Frontier is doing an excellent job of getting you to feel the game world, rather than watch it pass you by.

LostWinds is fantastic in every sense of the word. I can only see things getting better from here. Now I am imagining all the other uses for the wind powers to solve puzzles and progress further. I know that there are more power-ups to gain, and harder puzzles to solve…and I am doing my best to wait patiently for those adventures. I could go on about the game for days…and perhaps I should. It would give me something to do while I wait for WiiWare’s launch.