Score: 9/10
Time to Complete: Approx 13 hours
Time to 100%: 23 hours
Similar games: Bastion, Transistor

Short version:
This is a prisoner sports RPG where players compete for their sins to be forgiven.

Long version:
However, to call this game just a sports game does it a great disservice, as it’s so much more. "But wait Cocoa!", I hear you cry, "I don't like sports games!". Well firstly, shut your big beautiful mouth. I don't particularly care for sports games either, yet I love this game. Sometimes it's difficult to label a game under a certain genre, because sometimes they feel so much more than that. This is one of those games.

But also secondly, for those who have played Supergaints' two previous games, you should already know that the studio themselves are capable of making some truly breathtaking, emotionally-packed gems and this is no exception. Trust in them to make another one, you won't be disappointed.

For those who haven't played a Supergaint game before, here’s a look at just some of the reasons that make this game so special.

PROS:
Supergiant Excellence – This is the third game published and developed by Supergiant Games, and I have noticed undeniable patterns between the three; both Bastion and Transistor contained gorgeous visuals, incredible music with characters and situations that were packed with emotional resonance, Pyre is no different. From the onset, as you travel through the world of the Downside you notice lovingly crafted drawn visuals, distinctive across its array of locations. The music is catchy and distinct, with groups of characters given their own memorable soundtracks and critical events given an extra sense of poignancy. The characters too – both those who join your party and even your opponents which you will be facing are likeable and memorable, delving further into their stories as the game develops.

The Sport Itself – The sport itself is “kind of” like handball/basketball, in which your team have a ball and must try and put this in the opposing teams goal, or pyre in this case. On a technical level the game works quite nicely, in that each of your party members play and act differently so that you can mix and match your team members in a way most suitable to you or in direct contrast to your opponents. Some party members and large and hulking, with their slow but strong presence taking dominance over the playing field making it difficult to bypass them, whereas other members are quick and nimble able to dodge amongst the playing fields’ obstacles. Some have abilities like teleportation, flight, explosions, throwing distance and jumping prowess making mixtures and matches even more intriguing.

Should I Stay, or Should I Go – As I mentioned previously, the main aspect of this game is the fact that your characters are playing for their “freedom”, to have their sins forgiven and to go back to where they had come from. This caveat of the game is what ultimately makes it a fascinating one. You are trying to save your friends and as the story progresses you find that you form an attachment to them, both from a game play perspective (this character has a high level/ has a play style I am good at) as well as an emotional one (this is a character that I like and want to know more about), and so making these choices as to who should be saved can be both a difficult and a fascinating one.

CONS:
Sweating the Small Stuff – Some may find the initial traversal of the game world tiring, impatient and ready to just jump into the story and the game play while others may find that the game itself is designed in a way of linearity and repetitiveness, core to its game play. There may be those put off by this, while others can forgive these transgressions.

CONCLUSION:
It's games like this that remind us why gaming is truly an art form.

Score: 9/10 Time to Complete: Approx 13 hours Time to 100%: 23 hours Similar games: [url=https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/107100/Bastion/]Bastion[/url], [url=https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/237930/Transistor/?curator_clanid=3584665]Transistor[/url] [i]Short version:[/i] This is a prisoner sports RPG where players compete for their sins to be forgiven. [i]Long version:[/i] However, to call this game just a sports game does it a great disservice, as it’s so much more. "But wait Cocoa!", I hear you cry, "I don't like sports games!". Well firstly, shut your big beautiful mouth. I don't particularly care for sports games either, yet I love this game. Sometimes it's difficult to label a game under a certain genre, because sometimes they feel so much more than that. This is one of those games. But also secondly, for those who have played Supergaints' two previous games, you should already know that the studio themselves are capable of making some truly breathtaking, emotionally-packed gems and this is no exception. Trust in them to make another one, you won't be disappointed. For those who [b]haven't[/b] played a Supergaint game before, here’s a look at just some of the reasons that make this game so special. PROS: [b]Supergiant Excellence[/b] – This is the third game published and developed by Supergiant Games, and I have noticed undeniable patterns between the three; both Bastion and Transistor contained gorgeous visuals, incredible music with characters and situations that were packed with emotional resonance, Pyre is no different. From the onset, as you travel through the world of the Downside you notice lovingly crafted drawn visuals, distinctive across its array of locations. The music is catchy and distinct, with groups of characters given their own memorable soundtracks and critical events given an extra sense of poignancy. The characters too – both those who join your party and even your opponents which you will be facing are likeable and memorable, delving further into their stories as the game develops. [b]The Sport Itself[/b] – The sport itself is “kind of” like handball/basketball, in which your team have a ball and must try and put this in the opposing teams goal, or pyre in this case. On a technical level the game works quite nicely, in that each of your party members play and act differently so that you can mix and match your team members in a way most suitable to you or in direct contrast to your opponents. Some party members and large and hulking, with their slow but strong presence taking dominance over the playing field making it difficult to bypass them, whereas other members are quick and nimble able to dodge amongst the playing fields’ obstacles. Some have abilities like teleportation, flight, explosions, throwing distance and jumping prowess making mixtures and matches even more intriguing. [b]Should I Stay, or Should I Go[/b] – As I mentioned previously, the main aspect of this game is the fact that your characters are playing for their “freedom”, to have their sins forgiven and to go back to where they had come from. This caveat of the game is what ultimately makes it a fascinating one. You are trying to save your friends and as the story progresses you find that you form an attachment to them, both from a game play perspective (this character has a high level/ has a play style I am good at) as well as an emotional one (this is a character that I like and want to know more about), and so making these choices as to who should be saved can be both a difficult and a fascinating one. CONS: [b]Sweating the Small Stuff[/b] – Some may find the initial traversal of the game world tiring, impatient and ready to just jump into the story and the game play while others may find that the game itself is designed in a way of linearity and repetitiveness, core to its game play. There may be those put off by this, while others can forgive these transgressions. CONCLUSION: It's games like this that remind us why gaming is truly an art form.