Available on: Windows PC
Seasons After Fall is a lush, colorful 2-D puzzle platformer that looks like it was painted on the screen. The all-ages game, available on PC, puts you in control of the powers of the seasons, from the icy winter to the blustery fall. Change the seasons to make your way through gorgeous landscapes and unfold the mystery behind the Guardians of the Seasons.
The moment the game begins, it’s easy to fall in love with the stunning soundtrack played by a string quartet. From wistful to whimsical to suspenseful, the strings are so remarkable that you may find yourself listening for a moment rather than playing.
As a small spirit in the body of a fox, you use the simple WASD and mouse controls to run through the grass and jump from tree branch to tree branch to make your way to your goal. The difficulty of the puzzles increases as the game goes on, but there are very few timed jumps or leaping from just the right spot to make it across, so kids should get the hang of it in no time.
The puzzles themselves involve changing the seasons at will to open an area that you can’t otherwise access. The windy autumn weather brings wind to move otherwise immovable objects, for example, or the freezing winter gives you the ability to walk on ice and create snowballs. Using your abilities in just the right combination opens new areas and removes obstacles from your path.
The Rating
Seasons After Fall hasn’t been rated by the ESRB, but it should be fine for everyone. There’s no combat or falling to your character’s doom, making this a great pick for even young elementary age kids. The game is expertly voiced, so even if the kids can’t read, they can still listen to the compelling story. And while some scenes are definitely suspenseful, there isn’t anything too scary that should frighten young players. It’s the puzzles that will really test kids, especially those later in the game, making Seasons After Fall a great game to play as a family as you work to solve them together.
With the player in control of an ethereal creature leaping through forests and underground caverns, the comparison to Ori and the Blind Forest seems like a no-brainer. However, Seasons After Fall reminded me much more of Unravel, especially with its melancholic soundtrack and gameplay that has you using your abilities and the environment to progress.
The Takeway
Seasons After Fall is captivating and challenging. If you’re a fan of puzzle platformers like Ori and the Blind Forest and Unravel, you’ll likely find this game to be a similarly enjoyable way to spend a few evenings.
