While most modern games feature some kind of narrative component, those that focus exclusively on story and atmosphere have earned the somewhat derisive label of “walking simulators,” experiences that sacrifice gameplay depth in the name of guiding the player through a heavily scripted experience. Arise: A Simple Story almost feels like a rebellion against that school of game design; yes, it has a somber narrative, unique visuals and a stellar soundtrack, but Arise is a platformer through-and-through, with an emphasis on traversing serene environments and solving simple puzzles. That Arise attempts to be a more traditional, more engaging game than its artistically inclined brethren is admirable, but while it is mostly successful, it also stumbles in some essential areas.
Arise tells the story of an unnamed old man, beginning at the moment of his death. After he enters the afterlife, players will guide him through 10 levels, with each one representing a major moment in the man’s life. Arise is completely devoid of spoken dialogue, but even so, each level manages to effortlessly encapsulate specific moments and emotions, from the carefree days of childhood to the dread and eventual acceptance of mortality. The visual metaphors here are far from subtle—there is a section where the player must literally climb out of the pits of despair—but they are undoubtedly effective and well-constructed. The gorgeous visuals and stirring music are breathtaking at times, and the entire experience looks and sounds incredible.
Unfortunately, the gameplay is not up to the same standard. Gameplay in Arise consists of jumping, climbing and occasionally swinging from a handy rope. Arise makes matters more interesting by giving the player the ability to pause, rewind and fast-forward time, which has useful applications for both platforming and puzzle solving. All of that is well and good, but Arise has a fundamental problem: the game feels far too loose and imprecise. Jumping is inconsistent, with the player character sometimes travelling either much farther than or just short of where you would expect. Since time manipulation is handled with the right analog stick, the game uses a fixed camera, which can lead to the occasional problem with depth perception. These problems are mildly irritating on their own, but they severely hurt the experience when an emotional moment or beautiful vista is ruined by a misplaced jump that should have been no problem at all. It does not happen constantly, and incredibly forgiving checkpoints alleviate some frustration, but it happens often enough to be noticeable.
Arise: A Simple Story is lovingly crafted, with marvelous visuals and impeccable music. It is a shame, then, that the actual gameplay fumbles its most fundamental aspect. Arise has an emotional story that is easy to get invested in, but although the gameplay makes Arise more engaging than other so-called “walking simulators,” it is not polished enough to enhance the experience, and sometimes actually detracts from it. Arise is still an easy recommendation for the myriad things it does right, but that it comes so close to being amazing and falls just short is disappointing.
