Feb 2019
Why did the teenager cross the road? To rescue his parents from some terrible monsters, of course! Welcome to 'Away: Journey to the Unexpected', where you’ll embark on a whimsical adventure filled with quirky characters, not-so-quirky monsters, and more dialogue trees than a rural community garden.
In 'Away: Journey to the Unexpected', you get to experience a colorful world viewed from the first person (no peeking at the map—eyes on the prize!). You start off on a quest that would give even the most dramatic hero a run for their money: finding your missing parents. Sounds simple, right? Wrong! Monsters invade your grandparents' house and ruin all your family reunions. Not cool, dudes. The gameplay mixes action-adventure with a sprinkle of roguelite elements—so we can assume that by roguelite, they mean you’ll need to decide quickly and accurately or risk the dreaded game over. As you navigate through procedurally generated levels (because apparently, making sure you never get bored is too much effort), you’ll recruit characters throughout your journey, but watch out—choose the wrong dialogue option during your conversations, and poof! That character is too busy to join your epic quest. Talk about commitment issues! Combat involves navigating through hack-and-slash mechanics, which might be more of a 'smash and bash'. The thrill here is tactical; you need to strategize not just based on your own skills but also who you can recruit, and the best way to do this is through sweet-talking NPCs amid a barrage of colorful, chaotic mayhem. It’s almost like your dating life but with fewer awkward silences, unless you miss a dialogue cue. To spice things up, there’s a boss fight waiting for you at the end. But don’t get too cozy! To engage the final boss, you must first recruit a whopping eight character buddies. So it’s on you to play conversational ninja and face numerous types of combat, with each character having their own special abilities. If this all sounds challenging, it is! Especially as the randomly generated levels keep you on your toes and your button-mashing finger ready to go like you’re training for a competition. So gear up, practice your dazzling dialogue, and prepare for an adventure that demands both brain and brawn. Who needs sleep when you’re busy saving your parents, right? Spoiler: probably still need sleep. You’ll thank me later.
Visually, 'Away: Journey to the Unexpected' brings you lip-smacking delightful graphics that appeal to the kid in us all. The art style feels like a cross between a child’s sketchbook and an all-you-can-eat color buffet, and honestly, it’s remarkably charming. You won’t find hyper-realism here; instead, expect an art direction that practically hugs your eyeballs. Each area has its character—some levels are filled with bright, cheerful backdrops that look like they came straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon, while the dungeons have that classic 'I'm about to be seriously annoyed' vibe. Whether you’re roaming through lush paradises or gloom-filled caves, you’ll enjoy the diverse environments. Just make sure not to lose your mind staring at the beautiful scenarios while dodging actual monsters. It’s a tricky balancing act, one I’m sure you’ll master… eventually.
'Away: Journey to the Unexpected' is a game that has heart, charm, and a heaping serving of challenges that demand skill, persistence, and the occasional lucky guess. While you may experience some frustrations with the dialogue systems and combat mechanics (seriously, why is recruiting like dating?), the vibrant graphics and unique gameplay loop make it worth the trip through monster-infested lands. So, if you’re looking for a title that will make you laugh, scream in frustration, and think hard about your choices (as if your parents weren’t already doing that), give it a whirl. Just remember: talking to your NPC friends is as important as figuring out where you're going. And who knows? You might just find that the journey is more about the friends you make along the way than the monsters you slay. Or that could just be the inner philosopher in me talking. Either way, gear up for a colorful experience full of quirky characters and unexpected twists!
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