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Remember a time when it was okay to take a chance? Back before marketing departments surveyed yokels at the mall to justify an institutionalized underestimation of audiences? Rookie developer Mekensleep does, and its aptly titled debut most certainly has soul. As a sarcastic "disclaimer" at the game's start says, there are no post-apocalyptic soldiers or gang fights to be found here, but don't worry; "it's all gonna be hunky dory."
Soul Bubbles began life several years ago when industry legend Frederick Raynal (Alone in the Dark, Toy Commander) began working with the new developer to create what he called an "honest" game, one with a sincere and personal creative vision. While Raynal left the project in 2006 to accept a job at Ubisoft, he left it in capable hands, and his spiritual guidance has carried the title to its completion.
Many of the unique ideas here extend from Omar Cornut's clever 2D engine. Players use the touch screen to draw elastic bubbles on screen and then guide them through the level by blowing on them (but don't worry; there's no microphone gimmick). These bubbles bend, wiggle, and ooze through tight spaces with convincing physics simulation. Bubbles can be split, shrunk, or blown up, and can be used to carry fluids as well as lost souls.
I thought I had seen about the extent of its 2D capabilities, but Soul Bubbles really pushes the hardware in a new way.
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In the few years since the Nintendo DS arrived on the market, I thought I had seen about the extent of its 2D capabilities, but Soul Bubbles really pushes the hardware in a new way by using textured 2D polygons instead of the usual sprites and tiles. The result is lush, organic, and interactive world with art direction that any A-list developer should be jealous of. The worlds evoke a hand-painted look that does complete justice to the concept art - a rarity in this age. The sparse, ambient, soundtrack gives off shades of international folk music with simple flute melodies and moody drums. It may not look or sound like your typical kids' game, but it's a testament to the appeal of a strong, consistent vision.
While it may seem like an obstacle course at a glance, this is a puzzle game at its heart, and it's only as strong as its level design. Fortunately, Mekensleep has done an admirable job of distributing its ideas throughout the game, finally bringing them all together in the last world. One world explores fire and water puzzles, another gravity. Frost weighs your bubbles down in the ice world for a pinball-like dynamic, while fruits in the African-inspired world grant the ability to fire back at enemies.
It's a well-rounded journey that comes to an end all too soon. Soul Bubbles, in keeping with its relaxing atmosphere, is a very easy game, and it won't take long to reach the credit roll. When your bubbles pop, you're given ample time to simply draw a circle around the souls and you're as good as new. It seems almost impossible to fail a stage completely without being deliberately careless, making this title best suited for a younger audience.
There is still plenty to explore, though, and collecting every item and reaching every path can be an ample challenge for any motivated gamer. While it might not be long on challenge or value, it's hard to deny that there's something special here. Soul Bubbles may fall a bit short of sheer genius, but the strength of its vision is enough to make it worth a look to anyone who still misses games that risked it all to stay true to themselves. |
