When I first heard about Vessel it sounded interesting, stylish 2D side scrolling action game involving water. That description didn’t really do justice to the game and the exceptional physics involved in it, the grace and style that can be made using water in a Victorian Steam Punk environment.
The story is about an inventor named Arkwright who created Fluro, liquid based mechanical creatures, that have been integrated into every part of our modern life. Arkwright used this knowledge and resulting wealth to improve liquid physics and finish his latest creation “The Device.” He steps outside his home laboratory and finds himself locked outside the house by one of his latest Fluro so he goes to get his tools to get back into his house only to find the Fluro have ran amok all over town particularly causing havoc on the fluid based technology. This technology all looks like Victorian Steam Punk in design though it is actually Victorian Liquid Punk and there is water water everywhere, some of it walking on two feet. All of Arkwright’s inventions run on it including the multiple weapons he uses to set things right throughout town.
The animation style combined with the haunting music creates an atmosphere very similar to Limbo. Where Limbo painted a world of shadow, Vessel paints with a world of water. Water is involved in all the puzzles and Strange Loop Games went to painstaking lengths to plot the physics of all the water, even the ones not involved in puzzles. This world would come to an end if there was ever a drought but anything that can be liquified is put to use to keep the world going. Fans of Penny Arcade may enjoy how much Arkwright looks like he came right out of it.
The puzzles definitely vary in difficulty and some are more a matter of timing than brain work but there seems to be another challenge around every corner and you get so immerse in moving Arkwright through it you can easily lose time. With so many levels and puzzles to solve there is a lot of time to be passed and I was just playing the demo!
Features:
* Fully physically-simulated world of liquid interactions. Experience flowing and splashing water, scalding thick lava, drippy glowing goo, and explosive reactant chemicals, simulated using fluid-dynamics.
* All creatures in the game are composed of simulated liquid, and maintain the fluid’s properties and abilities . Collide water creatures with lava creatures to create steam, use creatures made of glowing goo to navigate dark areas, and mix creatures of reactant chemicals to trigger explosions.
* Solve puzzles by combing the unique behavior of each creature with the fluid they’re made of. Drop a ‘Drinker’ Fluro and lure him by spraying goo. Create a ‘Dark Fluro’ and chase him with light.
* Explore a world of fantastic, detailed machines and strange, wondrous environments. 2D hand-drawn textures combined with 3D normal maps and lighting creates a unique, other-worldly look to the visuals.
* Gain the powers of the creatures you encounter in the field and apply your discoveries to your next great invention, ‘The Device’.
Last Call:
The graphics are beautiful and haunting, the gameplay puzzles are excellent and if you pay attention the liquid physics are almost awe inspiring. Hopefully it will get the notice and gameplay of Limbo because it truly deserves it. Maybe this year it will be on top indie game lists like Limbo was this past year.
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