Becoming a parent is one of the greatest experiences you can have. However, your bundle of joy inadvertently adds stress, worry, and fear to your existence. Consequently, if anything happens to your offspring, you always think the worst. This is exactly what happens in Cions of Vega. This wonderfully atmospheric game is slow, touching, and full of mystery.
Developed by Tonguc Bodur and Eastasiasoft Limited and published by the latter, this is a walking simulation title. What’s more, there are some basic platforming and puzzle elements. As such, there are many dynamics to this odd, eerie, and uncomfortable tale.
Cions of Vega: a Bodur redemption.
I recently reviewed The Redress of Mira, and I was left disappointed. However, I’ve played many other Bodur titles, and have found each to be captivating, thrilling, and beautifully presented. Accordingly, I had high hopes that Cions of Vega would redeem Bodur’s fine name and creative integrity. *Spoiler alert*. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed.
Your daughter is missing, and no one knows where she is. Consequently, you must do what it takes to find her and prevent her from coming to any harm. You control the father who is accompanied by his brother, Logan. This team must search an array of locations as they hunt for clues, solve puzzles, and piece together the mystery. Your brother offers advice and timely narration to pad out the experience while adding drama to the occasion.
The excellent, albeit mindless “small talk” narration breaks up the silence. This was necessary, as many of the locations are stark, empty, and horribly eerie. Therefore, this prevents the action from becoming tedious while helping you to emphasise with the protagonists.
There’s nothing to it.
Whenever a game highlights puzzles and platforming elements, I get concerned. If both of these mechanics are executed properly, the game will excel. However, any minor issues cause it to be a headache and a flop. Luckily, Cions of Vega incorporates both elements perfectly. Furthermore, neither of them is too challenging and as a result, there’s nothing to it.
The platforming layer is so refined that you won’t even acknowledge it. With basic crawling, jumping, and climbing moments, it merges with the story seamlessly. However, the puzzles are more in your face. Yet, they won’t test you as Bodur doesn’t want you to become frustrated, or get stuck. Instead, well-placed clues and tools to solve each problem are easy to find and identify. Subsequently, you’ll unlock each gate, open safes, find keys, dig up fuses, and explore caves without concern.
Cions of Vega looks great.
Bodur has a unique style that rarely disappoints. Fortunately, Cions of Vega follows this trend with its varied locations, weird character models, and stunning backdrops. You’ll explore houses, caves, forests, and other jaw-dropping areas as you search for your daughter. En route, you’ll see nicely animated animals, beautiful weather fronts, and interesting landscapes. What’s more, the first-person perspective enhances the experience. Sadly, though, there are some minor graphical issues that taint the finish. However, this wasn’t a problem as it didn’t impact the gameplay.
The audio is equally exceptional. Thanks to the stunning environmental noises, the soft but dramatic soundtrack, and the excellent sound effects, it is immersive. Moreover, there are suspenseful moments, and some incredible narration. My only disappointment was the lack of acting from the NPCs. The creepy children should have had soundbites associated with their dialogue. However, this was missing, and it was a noticeable shortcoming.
Walk, walk, search, walk.
Walking simulation games are easy to play. Effectively, all you must do is walk and explore. Thankfully, though, with puzzle mechanics and basic platforming elements, there is more to do. Additionally, you may run in open spaces to speed things up, and a helpful on-screen icon ensures that you don’t miss key information. Moreover, the control layout is easy to understand and the inputs are responsive.
Unfortunately, Cions of Vega lacks replay value or longevity. If you rush your first playthrough, you’ll finish the game in under 2 hours. However, if you take your time and enjoy your surroundings, you can easily double it. The short game time could easily be padded out with hidden text and tougher achievements. Has this been accomplished, it would have improved an already great experience.
Cions of Vega shows that Bodur is back to his best.
Cions of Vega won’t be for everyone. However, if you love a slow-paced and atmospheric game, then this will be right up your street. Furthermore, visually it is nice, and it has a captivating soundscape. What’s more, the puzzles are interesting and the platform elements are understated. My only complaint is the lack of longevity and replay value. Luckily, though, these are minor things. Accordingly, I recommend that you buy it here! Can you save your daughter? Explore the strange world and discover the secrets hidden beneath the surface.
