Sayonara Umihara Kawase (PC) Review

The first few titles were platformers, and this recent entry is no different. Like many of its kind heralding from this time, the goal of each level is simply making it to the end without dying, with jumping over pits, dodging enemies, and carefully timed swings, all contributing to victory in each stage. In addition to her leaps, protagonist Kawase can throw a fishing line to attach to various ledges and platforms, and pull herself up or down from them, or even swing to cross a large gap.

It's a cool addition to a platformer, and one that definitely brings to mind the well-known Hookshot from The Legend of Zelda franchise. Mastering the rope physics is a crucial part to success, and it would be a really fun mechanic if it weren't so touchy. The physics engine here is so extremely unlike anything seen in any other platformer, and rope usage plays a big part in this. Swinging from it can give Kawase extra momentum to cross a gap, but if it's not timed exactly right, she's far more likely to fly sailing into a pit.

The physics engine itself requires such mastery that the learning curve becomes more precipitous than just steep. Knowing exactly the trajectory of each swing is largely trial-and-error until then, and even the jumps from step to step can be frustrating. While the rope does have other cool uses, such as latching onto a ledge and climbing down or sticking onto a moving conveyor, the amount of times it works against the intended goal become extremely frustrating.

Even basic jumps feel awkward, as Kawase feels very heavy to control. Unless a jump is perfectly timed, she usually ends up falling just short of a ledge. While there is a certain degree of wiggle room granted through her ability to climb up the edge of any given platform, the precision required to perform simple leaps can be downright infuriating. Each death, from pits to one of the strange fish enemies around the map, instantly ends the stage, forcing a complete restart and kicking the journey all the way back to the level select screen; meaning each death requires reloading the entire level every single time.

The controls themselves are responsive and generally predictable, whether on a keyboard or gamepad. The keyboard controls, however, are in a layout so bizarre that controller usage might as well be mandatory. Since nothing in-game actually states what keys do what, setting up an initial play-through can be extremely daunting without prior knowledge of the controls.

The overall aesthetic is slightly unusual, with urban area objects randomly imposed over images of salt and sea. Fish-like enemies and the fishing line the main character uses definitely hearken to the seaside, and the strange scenery makes for a slightly unsettling experience overall. The fish enemies themselves can be defeated through use of Kawase's fishing line, but they're much less of a threat than the actual gameplay itself.