The Path of Motus Reviews

I've never connected so deeply with a game on the first time playing it. No exaggeration. This game, if you take the time to understand it, will leave an impression. Just an absolutely brilliant masterpiece. I'm serious. If you have emotions, play this game.

Cute idea for a game. If I were an indie developer, I might be proud of making this as my first draft title. It feels like it is going for some friendship lessons learned award. In the end, it is not fun.

I dont really like the art. The way you attack feels limited but you do have to combo it sometimes so thats ok. Puzzles are ok.

Full disclosure: I was a playtester on this game and I've worked with the developer, Mr. Hicks, in the past. I paid for my own copy of the game, as well. As a fan of platforming, adventure games, and puzzle games, I think this quaint, personal journey is worth trying out. You have an equal amount of jumping puzzles and logic puzzles, but they all support the game's main idea of perseverance and empathy. Some players may not appreciate the interpersonal message here, but it doesn't get in the way of gameplay. The puzzles here can be tricky and specific. The closest two games I can say this game reminds me of are 'Braid' and 'The Witness' but smaller in scope. The presentation is rock solid, with gorgeous art, colors, sound design, and backgrounds. It's easy to tell what's going on in the world, and the UI has an appropriate level of feedback. The controls are responsive, and the entire experience feels polished. Since I was a tester for a bit, my play time is skewed to me being familiar with the game. It's worth noting that the game opens up a 'new game plus' playthrough once you complete the third act. You'd have learned some specific skills by then, and when you replay the game, to paraphrase 'The Big Lebowski,' "new s*** has come to light." This game has a ton of heart thanks to the MichaelArts team. Try it out for yourself.

As you start Path of Motus the first idea that comes to my mind is platformer with some deep meaning social experiment message on bullying. There are enemies, pitfalls and you learn by dying quite a bit. And even though the has it's moments it's never too hard that you want to quit. I like games like these. You don't go through it quickly but you can take your time and figure out how to progress.  There are numerous platformers like that. I think what sets Motus apart isn't so much it's straight forward take on bullying but the underlying messages that occur throughout the game and there are a couple. As I played through the main character's different stages of growth the stories told through the  notes about his father's life and how he settled for a menial existence rather than going for his dreams speaks to how many people function in our society. Where instead of following our dreams we settle for less than we want. The forest that we're trying to get through is a metaphorical one relating to life goals. This is very well emphasized throughout the game. Even the parts where you have someone whispering to "give up and just quit" are a nice touch but it's never as hopeless or unfair in it's approach.  Another aspect featured is this idea of bridge building. It's happens sporadically and can be more challenging than the actual platforming in some instances but, after the first few they are optional parts you can skip. Even after you're almost done with the game it introduces new mechanics to pass some troubling obstacles that you had at your disposal all along. At the end, if you so choose can replay the game using your acquired knowledge for a "no-kill" run.  In all I enjoyed the game. It has good graphics, a compelling story and a nice soundtrack to go along with your journey and level design is solid. While you go through the story your player's personality changes in response to your actions leading to more than one ending but it's short. Something you can play though in less than an hour. This isn't necessarily bad but the price point might make you want to get this game on sale. There is a small amount of replay value but nothing that will keep you sticking with it for hours on end.  [url=playingwithphyre.wordpress.com][/url]