Review: Unravel

G'day there guys and gals.

Very few games today share a special, thoughtful message. In our lifestyle, our world is becoming slowly more machine-like; cities popping up everywhere, our lives rushed and busy, it becomes harder and harder to slow down and appreciate the simple things, like friendships, love, family.
That is the tale of Unravel; a heartfelt message of love, bonds and mending what is become tangled or broken. 

Players play as Yarny, a small doll made entirely of yarn. And as you set off into the world, you come across a small book of pictures, dulled with time. It's up to you to return to those areas and recover the memories and love lost in a journey of selflessness, passion and optimism.
Gameplay is brilliant and simple, to where even the newest of gamers could pick it up instantly; players must traverse the area using their yarn as a rope to climb, create bridges or spring up to higher areas, drag objects and much more. Each area differs greatly in what must be done, and the puzzles will become steadily harder and harder as you progress. And failure to traverse puzzles may lead to Yarny tumbling down, huffing for air or simply, die. There are collectibles to collect along the way that adds certain souvenirs the family gathered during their travels, if you can find them all as you go.
Storyline takes a surprising twist, as players will discover the story mainly through both the memories and the in game playable menu's picture book, with each level having a small description. The story itself revolves around a single family, traveling together as they explore and enjoy life, while also focusing on Yarny's determination to collect small buttons of yarn, left behind by the family. To say any more would spoil the game and I can't risk that.
Sound effects are beautifully made, especially the rain and snow sounds, and add incredible atmosphere to both the dark and light areas of the game. But what really makes them more beautiful is the graphics. Without a doubt, Unravel's look is borderline realistic, the textures used with everything from the trees and ice, to machinery and smaller details (such as the various animals you'll meet along the way) look incredible. The human models are by far the best, and mold well with the real life images you will see.
Finally, one of the strongest assets this game has is the musical score. To put it bluntly, I need the musical score of the game NOW. From the heartfelt strings to the piano, every piece of music you encounter in the game will move and touch any gamer and unfreeze any cold heart. Flying in the breeze, freezing in the snow, traversing through junk yards, every piece is utterly incredible.

As a reviewer, I am supposed to mix both my criticisms with my experience of the game, but in truth, I have no criticisms. I experienced no crashes, no screen tears, not a single problem throughout the entire gaming experience. And in truth, I was incredibly moved by this game. It has been a very, very long time since a game has touched me on such an emotional level. I found myself chanting "You can do it Yarny!" as I played, which is a first for me! I felt shock, joy, serenity, peace, fear, and so much more the further I went and the more I explored. 

For such a cheap asking price, eight hours of gameplay and certainly plenty of replayability, Unravel is a definite must own for any gamer. The small team behind Unravel have made an exalted, magnificent game that is worthy of Game Of The Year.
I cannot praise this game enough and cannot put into words how much I implore you to play this game and support Coldwood Interactive. An utterly beautiful game.

Out of 10, I give Unravel a 10/10

PERFECT SCORE

Unravel is out now for the standard price of $30