LostWinds (PC) Review

Playing through LostWinds is akin to browsing forums or flipping through TV channels. It's a way to pass the time. The visuals are dated, but not entirely without charm. Using gusts of wind to interact with background objects and people is a cute little detail. The adventure is short and to the point, as there is little in the way of bloat. The only side-quest involves collecting 24 idols, and Toku will trip over half of them in his travels. The music is pleasant, though also quite repetitive.

The bulk of the game is spent using the wind to traverse the landscape, while solving puzzles. Switches will need to be pulled, pressure plates require boulders in order to stay pressed, and Toku has to be carried into the air to cross chasms or ascend cliffs. The only possible threat comes in the form of glorbs. These gooey creatures will attempt to grab onto the young hero, and then drain his health away. While it sounds like a horrible way to go, these monsters are astoundingly ineffective at endangering Toku's life. Still, their presence does lend some credibility to Balasar's attempts at taking over the world.

With a mouse and keyboard, it doesn't take long to understand the basics of controlling Toku and Enril. However, this scheme tends to be finicky. There will be times where the player will want to move a rock that's next to Toku, but they'll accidentally move the both the boy and the stone. The vortex, necessary to hurtle objects through fragile walls, is a pretty easy technique to goof up. There's a difference between drawing a line through an object, and drawing a line from it. Until the player gets a handle on how the technique works, their thrown rocks won't make a dent in anything.

While the unique control scheme is a neat idea, the game never really convinces players that it's the most suitable way to the play. Repeatedly drawing lines and circles tends to be more inconvenient than simply pressing a few buttons. The controls are what give this game its identity, but at their worst, they become a liability. While there are never any instances where the controls could lead to death, or losing tools that are critical to progress, it's still possible to fumble relatively basic actions and waste time.