Saturnalia
Developed by: Santa Ragione
Published by: Santa Ragione
October 27, 2022
“A game inspired and heavily influenced by the folklore of Sardinia, Italy […] where you play as four characters, experiencing a deeply connected storyline that ties back to the haunting traditions of an ancient village.” – Epic Games
I got lost… a lot, but to be fair, I often do in games containing maze-like layouts. If you die, or choose to start a new game, the layout of the map changes completely, and you have to learn all the routes again (which certainly works for re-playability). With that said… yes, I got lost many times. I’m terrible without a hand to hold. Personally, I’m more of a casual gamer, very rarely seeing a game to the end. Saturnalia is certainly not for the casual gamer. The storyline is intricate, with many connecting points you have to remember. Combine that with learning the streets by heart, and you’ve got quite the workout for your brain.
Not that it’s a bad thing. Quite the contrary! It keeps you on your toes, and needs you to focus. So, maybe get a cup of coffee or two while playing to keep sharp.
GAME specifics
However, what I really love is the artwork. According to the description on EpicGames, the “[a]rtwork and animations [are] inspired by stop-motion and rotoscoping film techniques”. This is something I have not come across in my video gaming journey so far. I’m normally fond of unique and interesting art-styles, so this game has my full attention in tat department. The style is by no means realistic, but the movements hit that spot in the uncanny-valley where I can not tell if it’s really cool, or a bit disturbing. Either way, I love it. The game is eerie enough with just it’s storyline, but the animation certainly helps.
The controls are simple enough, the usual keyboard and mouse deal. Each character you unlock throughout the story has a certain ability only they can do, and that’s a key unto itself. The only time all the keys get confusing (to me at least) is the keys for the map, guide, inventory, etc. But that’s just me.
All-in-all, it’s a great game! Certainly not an easy one, but absolutely stunning! My only fault was the winding streets, but that was more of a ‘me’ problem, if anything.