![]() The only thing that holds me back from truly loving Firmament is the studio’s aforementioned penchant for esoteric puzzles. It’s a very charming game, and a bit more accessible than many of Cyan’s previous titles. It’s refreshing to see Cyan modernizing their approach to game design while still holding onto many tried-and-true elements. Then there’s the addition of sprinting – something that nearly every first-person game has these days – and the intuitive “Adjunct” tool that makes it a breeze to interact with the game world. ![]() Her instructions are appropriately vague, and there is nothing hamfisted about her inclusion. While there exists a great number of notes, books, and other hints at the lore behind Firmament’s world – all classic staples of compelling environmental storytelling – one thing Cyan did very differently this time around was include a narrator of sorts, an apparition who provides an appropriate amount of exposition, context for what players are seeing and the occasional clue. Fans of the steampunk aesthetic will share my love for this region. Andrew Vaults, an overgrown seed vault built upon massive stone pillars and the Juleston Reservoir, where a coniferous forest flanks a monolithic spire.īut despite its small size, my favorite area was the Swan, a lobby-like hub world dominated by massive, gold-embossed mechanical astronomer’s tools. There’s Curievale Bluff, a factory planted in a frosty mountain range St. Firmament’s gameplay primarily takes place in three locations. While still whimsical and fascinating, Firmament’s setting is more grounded than the dreamlike realms of Myst or alien worlds of Obduction. The company granted me an early review copy of the title, and when describing the game to my mother over the phone, she piped up, “Were they inspired by Myst?” Well yes, Mom – I imagine so! Creating several sequels, Cyan quickly cemented itself as the developer of immersive, bizarre worlds populated by esoteric puzzles.Ĭyan’s history is important to understanding the love and care that went into Firmament, as its game design philosophy is quite similar to their previous works. It sold 6 million units and became the best-selling PC game of all time until The Sims took that title in 2002. The company hit its stride when it unleashed Myst upon the world in 1991. A total of 18,420 backers pledged over $1.4 million to aid development.Īlthough their use of Kickstarter might cause some to think otherwise, Cyan’s been a developer for a very long time – founded by brothers Rand and Robyn Miller in 1987, they initially created whimsical point-and-click adventure games designed primarily for children in the form of The Manhole, Spelunx and Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel. ![]() released their latest immersive puzzler, Firmament, on Thursday. At long last following its 2018 announcement and a successful Kickstarter campaign launched in March 2019, Spokane-based video game developer Cyan Inc. ![]()
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