Unify
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Genre
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Themes
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Players
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Adventure Platformer
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Fantasy, Re-union, Cupid
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Offline: 1
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Game Overview
Unify is a side-scrolling platformer. The player assumes the
role of Charlie, a child whose parents have recently divorced. Designed as a
commentary on uniting something that is now divided (namely North and South
Korea) the player must do what they can to re-unite the mother and father.
Charlie begins by talking to the people in the town, none of whom are willing
to help or totally happy with the idea. The player has to pander to each by
completing a quest or request, rewarding them with a memento from Charlie’s
parents’ past.
Unique Selling Points
- Letters to a Loved One: The narrative of Unify is progressed through Charlie collecting their parents love letters which have been scattered throughout the world. The letters pull the player into the mysterious narrative keeping them ever, the letters aren’t specifically organised, however the flow of the game encourages them to be discovered in a rough order. These letters amount to an epiphany “wow moment” ending.
- Mementos: By completing the quests set by the townsfolk Charlie can collect mementos from their parents past. These can be equipped in-game each granting a different bonus, and can be used alone or in combination. These are used to reach new/secret areas, granting access to more letters.
Gameplay
Inspired by the efforts of Okhwan Yoon, Charlie must travel
the world to re-unite their parents. Each of the 6 areas represents vastly
different environments divided into; Artic, Jungle, Grassland, Desert, Coast
and Mountain, each of these 6 areas have 10 stages increasing in difficulty.
The Narrative of the game is designed to culminate to an
end-point where a slight twist is introduced revealing the metaphor behind the
game. This point is reached by collecting the parents’ Love Letters. The player
starts in the game over-world, Charlie’s village. The majority of the quests
originate here (from the townsfolk), and also serves as a hub to access each of
the 6 areas of the game.
Charlie can move left and right, can jump and slide (as a
platformer jumping is more prevalent). Charlie has to interact with the world
including, talking, pick-ups, switches etc all of which are activated with a
single button. Movement is also occasionally aided by the help of moving
platforms, ladders, springboards and ropes.
The Mementos add an extra dimension to the game each
granting the player a different new ability, these are used to reach new areas,
traverse puzzles quicker/easier and ultimately to reach the Love Letters. More
than one memento can be equipped however some cannot be equipped at the same
time for example Charlie cannot wear two hats at once. Abilities include,
inverting gravity, strengthening usual abilities, smashing through certain
elements, lighting up dark places, revealing hidden ladders/platforms,
parachutes and grappling hooks amongst others.
GUI
Unify is presented in a pixel art format. The game has no
HUD, dialogue is presented as speech bubbles, Unify has a 1-hit health system but
players respawn at checkpoints which are evenly spaced throughout the levels. Players
are recommended to use a gamepad especially for the harder platforming/movement
based elements.
Game Reference
Unify’s levels have a mood and feel akin to Superbrothers:
Sword and Sorcery EP, it is told through a narrative structure seen in games
like Braid, accompanied with an art style similar to Fez, with replayability
inspired by the Lego adventure titles.
