In the beginning of this year, Greak: Memories of Azur was released. The game was long in development, and the creator was eager to share it with the world. What started as a videogame project ended up being an interactive narrative that tells the story of the game’s protagonist, a young girl named Billa and her journey into the ruins of an ancient civilization. While not a direct sequel to the original Greak, it does draw on the same basic themes. The game takes you on an epic journey through the ruins of the civilization, where you find yourself in the middle of the action and have to use all of your wits to find a way out.
A little over ten years ago, I was a teenager playing a lot of the same kind of games I am playing now: Myst, Myst Online, Sims, The Sims 2, Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines, and so on. In other words, I was a teenager. And yet, I remember this game. And not just the game itself…but the entire experience.
The title is a puzzle, so I can only guess what this game is about. The plot is about an alien space ship crashing on Earth, and the man from the ship has left some kind of cube behind. You, as the person who finds this cube, then have to start entering memories of the alien, who is mesmerizingly drawn.
While Hollywood is cranking out big-budget movies with top-of-the-line 3D realism, independent filmmakers are adopting alternative approaches. From pixel art and beautiful hand-drawn landscapes like those seen in Greak: Memories of Azure, to harkening back to PlayStation-era visuals. It’s the latter’s unique burst of color that distinguishes it from, and in some instances, surpasses, the big boy releases. Now, I’m a big admirer of side-scrollers since they remind me of my childhood. After all, I’m in my thirties and grew up in an industry that was still finding itself out.
To demonstrate my argument, the Greak bosses: Azur’s memories are highly reliant on attack patterns. In other words, it’s a lot of trial and error, but not to an excruciating degree. In fact, seeing so many people utilizing the old methods with off-the-charts excellence fills me with childlike delight. So I was ecstatic when I initially discovered this game. It made me salivate, so I had to put my name in for a chance to cover it. You’ll be leading two boys and their sister on a journey across a plague-infested realm. What is in store for our trio? Well, I want to address that question – spoiler alert: there will be a lot of scary stuff.
I’m coming for you! ” data-medium-file=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/721AC671-A5C5-42E1-9720-F562AF2BA177.png?fit=300%2C169&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/721AC671-A5C5-42E1-9720-F562AF2BA177.png?fit=860%2C484&ssl=1″ loading=”lazy” class=”wp-image-121915 size-full jetpack-lazy-image” title=”Greak Characters” src=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/721AC671-A5C5-42E1-9720-F562AF2BA177.png?resize=860%2C484&ssl=1″ alt=”Greak Characters” width=”860″ height=”484″ data-recalc-dims=”1″ data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/721AC671-A5C5-42E1-9720-F562AF2BA177.png?resize=860%2C484&is-pending-load=1#038;ssl=1″ />
I’m going to get you!
Before I go into detail, it’s important to mention that the storyline is nothing exceptional – at best, it’s generic. It’s about an island that’s been devastated by a disease, which has resulted in the birth of intelligent swamp monsters. Your mission is to rescue the occupants of a camp and flee the contaminated terrain. As you’ve probably guessed, there’s not much meat on these literary bones. Furthermore, nothing surprising ever occurs. I enjoy being surprised in some way, even if it’s only for laughs, but that wasn’t the case here — it’s standard story-telling.
But don’t worry, everything isn’t doom and gloom. It does convey a charming story with glimmers of real charm. Furthermore, it does a great job of instilling a sense of uniqueness in the characters. There’s a definite effort put into giving them a personality, which makes me excited. Greak is childish, Adara is focused, and Raydel is solemn.
The attention to detail was something I really liked. To put it simply, Greak: Memories of Azur didn’t lack for a story. In this genre, gameplay reigns supreme, but it seems that Navegante Entertainment isn’t content with that. So image my astonishment when NPCs started to respond naturally to whomever was in charge of my three-person group. If I had recently hired someone and went around town with them, they would introduce themselves.
That’s definitely my greatest pet hate when it comes to video games that include any kind of speech. I despise how, despite never meeting the team member, the NPC acts as if they were always around. I liked how this game recognized newcomers since it went a long way toward bringing this jumble of code to life. Furthermore, each time you finish the current mission, those identical NPCs rotate between takes. They go from smashing metal with a hammer to chatting with the camp’s scouts in a matter of seconds. Everything I’ve said so far works together to give this little town character and vitality. However, if I had to choose a puzzling fault, it would be the dreadful conclusion. What a dripping fart.
Help me, Sis, I’m stuck! ” data-medium-file=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12F1EC5C-B2FE-4E05-AF47-6D538CF63819.png?fit=300%2C169&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12F1EC5C-B2FE-4E05-AF47-6D538CF63819.png?fit=860%2C484&ssl=1″ loading=”lazy” class=”wp-image-121921 size-full jetpack-lazy-image” title=”Greak Platform Help” src=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12F1EC5C-B2FE-4E05-AF47-6D538CF63819.png?resize=860%2C484&ssl=1″ alt=”Greak Platform Help” width=”860″ height=”484″ data-recalc-dims=”1″ data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/12F1EC5C-B2FE-4E05-AF47-6D538CF63819.png?resize=860%2C484&is-pending-load=1#038;ssl=1″ />
Greak is a delight to see.
The gameplay loop retains the traditional side-scrolling pleasure that one has grown to anticipate from this genre. You’ll go through woods, waterfalls, and ruins, killing a variety of monsters in the process. There are missions and sidequests to accomplish in Greak: Memories of Azur. Despite the fact that side stories are usually optional, 95% of them contribute to the plot’s development. Clearing a space or collecting the required goods are examples of such tasks. Then there’s the remaining 5%, which instead teaches Greak new skills. During my first session, I immediately saw that they are easily missed.
Now, usually, I’d be furious about this since it pointlessly locks information away for no apparent reason. I realize this was also done in previous games, but certain things should be left in the past. To be honest, I didn’t give a damn about it since the aforementioned methods are, well, useless. All except one, in a way. I had trouble pulling off leaping slashes, although it may be due to my sluggish reactions. Eventually, an upwards slash is taught, and it’s very useful. The problem is that it’s seldom utilized, and after two playthroughs, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve used it.
There are a few things that aren’t fully filled out as we learn, but there are many that piqued my interest. First and foremost, each strike was flawless. Every sword strike and magical missile flew through the air with ease. Character movement was similar to that of a hot knife into butter. The second feature is the very clever tag team concept, which enables you to control all of the characters at the same time. That probably raises a few questions — for starters, how does it work? Well, not perfectly, but decently.
To even team up, a single button push will create an aura that binds everyone in the vicinity. After then, every action you do will be met by an equal and opposite response – if you leap, they will as well. This is used in a few puzzles, but nothing that proves to be very difficult or challenging. If your friends get separated from you throughout your adventure, pressing another button will bring them back to you. This is fantastic since it avoids the boredom of continuously bouncing between siblings for little activity. Another advantage is that I can team up with my gooey opponents and destroy them. Because weaponry can’t be improved indefinitely, this was a good alternative – strength in numbers and all that. So, if you’re wondering where the drawbacks are, I’ll tell you.
There is so much to do and so little time! ” data-medium-file=”https://i1.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/B5175247-CB45-4BD8-932D-23FDC6933624.png?fit=300%2C169&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i1.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/B5175247-CB45-4BD8-932D-23FDC6933624.png?fit=860%2C484&ssl=1″ loading=”lazy” class=”wp-image-121922 size-full jetpack-lazy-image” title=”Greak Quest Log” src=”https://i1.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/B5175247-CB45-4BD8-932D-23FDC6933624.png?resize=860%2C484&ssl=1″ alt=”Greak Quest Log” width=”860″ height=”484″ data-recalc-dims=”1″ data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=”https://i1.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/B5175247-CB45-4BD8-932D-23FDC6933624.png?resize=860%2C484&is-pending-load=1#038;ssl=1″ />
So much to do, so little time!
To be honest, the tag team mechanism isn’t very well designed, and if you don’t pay attention, it will cost you. One vexing aspect, for example, is when one of the siblings dies, even if they are A. The game is over once I have control. The letter A. This isn’t really that terrible, yet it still resulted in a number of unjust deaths. The first incident I’d want to mention occurred during a light platforming segment. See, each sibling can prolong their leap in some manner – Greak and Raydel can both perform a double, while Adara just levitates. It’s the discrepancy between the variants that causes problems, especially when jumping from one small landmass to another — it’s a hit-or-miss situation. The lass would occasionally make it, but the boys would not, falling into the lake below. Greak was unconcerned, but Raydel, who is unable to swim, drowns.
When obstacles are thrown in the way, the only way to go over them is one at a time – so the second round of unjust deaths begins. Whenever I left one of the siblings alone, they were at risk of being assaulted. They’d be murdered offscreen if I wasn’t paying attention, and I’d lose ground. Thankfully, Greak: Memories of Azur has a lot of save points, so I never had to worry about losing a lot of progress. There’s still a half-hour gap, so the irritation isn’t entirely gone, but it’s much reduced.
Finally, the most common source of unjust fatalities happens during boss battles. The tag mechanism, you see, has a bad tendency of disengaging at the most inconvenient moments. To obtain health items, you may pause, examine the map, or even open your inventory. It’s the latter aspect that’s the most aggravating. Healing isn’t immediate; it takes a second or two to take effect. While you wait for the favorable qualities to appear, an opponent might easily strike you down, ending the game.
I can’t begin to explain the surge of adrenaline I get when I take a break at the last possible minute to recover. It’s part of the pleasure to know that I just narrowly cheated the grim reaper. It’s strange to have it taken away like this, and although I understand it’s to create the appearance of digestion, it’s not practical in a fast-paced workplace. There were many occasions when I unzipped my bag, ate whatever I had prepared myself, and then bolted away in terror because the enemy was going to strike. Needless to say, one or both of the siblings remained helpless behind. The reason I’m talking so much about this one mechanic is because it’s not terrible, but the way it works makes it seem cumbersome. It’ll never get at the point where it’s unplayable. Fortunately, by opting to manage Adara, the overwhelming majority of these problems may be avoided. There’s less space for mistake since her levitation needs more accuracy than her brother’s double leap.
Ou, what a pretty symbol! ” data-medium-file=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BA2A0287-4421-423C-94EA-C6457014F6E0.png?fit=300%2C169&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BA2A0287-4421-423C-94EA-C6457014F6E0.png?fit=860%2C484&ssl=1″ loading=”lazy” class=”wp-image-121923 size-full jetpack-lazy-image” title=”Greak Tree Sigil” src=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BA2A0287-4421-423C-94EA-C6457014F6E0.png?resize=860%2C484&ssl=1″ alt=”Tree Sigil” width=”860″ height=”484″ data-recalc-dims=”1″ data-lazy- data-lazy- data-lazy-src=”https://i2.wp.com/waytoomany.games/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BA2A0287-4421-423C-94EA-C6457014F6E0.png?resize=860%2C484&is-pending-load=1#038;ssl=1″ />
Oh, such a lovely image!
The musical soundtrack of Greak: Memories of Azur pleasantly surprised me. I had not anticipated such a lovely symphonic symphony of instruments. But, looking back, I should have anticipated that with such bright, in-your-face, beautiful hand-drawn graphics. Every tone was clear and pleasant, instilling a sense of calm in me. With each strum, though, there was a tremendous feeling of adventure. The excellent ambience, in particular, gripped my ears in a tight headlock of pure pleasure.
Look, I’m renowned for pointing up rain in my evaluations, and that may be my fixation. It’s simply that capturing such a sound is difficult, and when it’s done well, it needs to be recognized. This game has incredible pitter-patter and has completely calmed me. I was falling into a meditative state on a regular basis. That is, until the tag team clunkiness and unjust deaths reared their ugly heads. It sometimes overshadowed the incredible musical skill. Overall, this was a joy to listen to, and every instrument — string or wind based – sounded absolutely wonderful.
Greak: Memories of Azur was one of the rare games that managed to get me to play it again, let alone three times in a row. If that isn’t proof of how much fun the experience was, I don’t know what is. The environment seemed to come to life, with NPCs following a pattern and behaving like more than a collection of code. I liked it when Greak would boast about his siblings to other campers, and they’d say they’d heard a lot about them when they first met. This seems to be a solid, solid basis for a potential sequel with additional ideas and a more fleshed-out narrative. Of course, if that happens, I’m hoping Team17 irons out the bugs in the tag team mechanism.
It’s clumsy as is, and if you’re forgetful like me, the game will penalize you with an unjust death. Healing with a delayed activation is a perplexing decision that has no place in a game that thrives on speed. Anyone who enjoys the sounds of nature will be pleased to know that they are all present and accounted for. The rain is genuine, and the noises of the night are accurate representations of their real-world equivalents. There’s a lot to enjoy here, so it’s no surprise that the advantages greatly outnumber the disadvantages.
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The graphics quality is breathtaking. The hand-drawn style works well with the game’s theme. The colors alone are enough to bring a grin to one’s face. |
It follows the tried-and-true side-scrolling action game format. Some of the concepts were enjoyable to experiment with, but the game’s poor functioning held it back. |
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With a full orchestra, the music was surprisingly good. The near-perfect sounds of nature were what really got my attention. It sounded genuine and lulled me to sleep – I like rain. |
Enough said. I played it twice in a row to completion. While there are some difficult times at initially, you eventually learn to adjust. I really like the bosses’ old-school thinking processes. |
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Final Score: 8.0 |
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Greak: Memories of Azur is currently available on PS5, Xbox One X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
On the Nintendo Switch, a review was conducted.
The publisher sent me a copy of Greak: Memories of Azur.
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Recently, I have been playing Greak, a game with a retro-style minimalist artstyle, and I wanted to write a review so that you can know what it is like. I have played several other games, and all of them have their own specialities and features, and Greak has some of those as well.. Read more about greak: memories of azur release date and let us know what you think.
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