Woven (PC) Preview

Jumping into Woven for the first time, one is struck by its colourful aesthetic and fairy tale feel. Although pre-alpha suggests that the project is still in the early days, there's a significant degree of polish already present in this point and click adventure. The soft and soothing voice of the narrator, who interjects regularly, often to provide context and help for the player, creates an interesting tone and atmosphere, especially in conjunction with the crisp visuals and very pleasant ambient music. Although it takes a little time to grasp the part-swapping mechanics, the player will quickly cotton onto the fact that stitching parts with different abilities is a key element of the game, and moreover, opens up new parts of the surprisingly large map. Therefore, while it may start off seeming safe and simple, it will quickly dawn that there's more to this adventure than meets the eye.

In some ways, it's a little like Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, because its main quirks are somewhat unusual and perhaps not immediately obvious to someone jumping into the world. Just like that title, in its fully realised form, Woven certainly could develop a similar cult audience. It seems like the sort of project that will capture the imagination of open-minded gamers, as well as those looking for something that engages in storytelling in an unusual and creative way.

If the core gameplay component, the swapping of different creature parts to gain abilities, continues to be developed and kept interesting across the breadth of the game, the experience could be quite unlike anything else around. It's a good sign that many of the puzzles can be solved with different combinations of creature abilities, since multiple paths help the player to feel genuinely inventive when they find a way to progress. At other times, Glitch may have to customize Stuffy for superficial reasons, such as when they encounter a stylish Snake blocking their way - one who will only co-operate with those sticking to his dress code.