Lost Words: Beyond the Page Review (zaphodikus)
Pretty Epic, Simple, Relaxing, Story rich
I only get about an hour per day to play. So I like to write up some first impressions. This game was designed for a young audience, sure, but it's so well written it will appeal to all ages. It's beautifully executed and clean game mechanics almost feel too good for a simple side-scrolling walking game. A lot of cognitive empathy and sad themes, but definitely aimed at children and adults equally.
Because we will have to loose hope, in order to gain it.
Because when we give to this life, it gives back threefold.
Because we will feel we have failed, feel guilt and feel loss.
Because nobody ever got anything just by wanting it, but through trying and being OK, with not always knowing what to do. And not always being able to fix or change everything
Side Scroller
This game will almost take you back to the 80's when you notice that you always walk jump run to the right, sometimes you have to move obstacles, sometimes you have to jump. But even this old codger can do the parkour, it's not hard. Tiny visual clues are there, just, hidden, in different ways at points whenever you feel a little stalled.
Female Lead
I played as Robyn, in a purple/violet cloak, and I have to admit, the strong woman angle and "nurture but brave" roles in this title is not lost on me nor did it have any influence in my purchase. NOT. You will explore a very real family drama as part of this. A drama that will alternately scare and frustrate your avatar. Just the range of anger and loss explored in this "game" makes it a solid "empathy" title. By the end of this game, you will want to clean your room, wash the dishes and then go on to join the United Nations as a Peace ambassador, maybe, maybe not. But it's a story that will give you all of the tools, no matter your ability and no matter your situation. Lost Words is about the way actions speak louder than words on the page.
Ironic, perhaps but just ask Gran.
I feel like I'm going to add this game to this list, https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41773079-EmpathyGames/list/90741/ .
But if you have another genre to drop it under, do let us know by joining in the conversation https://steamcommunity.com/groups/EmpathyGames