DISCLAIMER: While I didn't technically receive it for free since I backed the campaign for the new version, I still marked it as such, since I didn't technically buy it via Steam. I am not sponsored but I do have stake in the game's success since I'm a backer.

---

TesseracT is pretty much my favorite band right now and frontman Daniel Tompkins is my favorite vocalist of all time. I've also been an off-and-on viewer of Dan's Twitch streams since it started, though I haven't been able to catch many of them in a while. I know that Dan and the entire band always give everything every ounce of their passion to everything they do.

As such, when I found out Dan was working with a small team to release a game based off of the concept of their newest (and, in my opinion, greatest) album, also titled War of Being, I knew this was going to be special.



For an indie title that was initially designed by a tiny team as a VR experience, this game is quite visually attractive. The art direction is on point and, in many areas, downright stunning. Is it the most beautiful, photorealistic game I've ever seen? Certainly not but considering what they had to work with, it's massively impressive.

The environmental design really evokes the surreal imagery that you see in the Myst games. The worlds you're exploring, they're uncanny and really do make you think that this is a manifestation of one's imagination which is, conceptually, a part of the concept behind this game and the album it's based off of.

The surreal imagery also works hand-in-hand with truly stellar sound design, both of which come together to create such an impeccable sense of atmosphere. Once again, going back to the concept -- a war of being within your mind -- this atmosphere sells the theme to perfection.



Gameplay-wise, the game is definitely very playable, which isn't something you always get with small-budget indie titles. It has some quirks, though. Using a standard controller is the the better way to experience the game if you don't have VR (I don't), but even then, it's a little janky. There's no gradual increase of speed; if you hit the threshold on the left stick, you're moving at full speed. Likewise, sprinting requires the left stick to be pressed down but you have such a low amount of stamina that it's barely worth using. Furthermore, reading notes is difficult if you're not really close to a light source; even if you're still relatively close, it's very tough to read the notes.

Nonetheless, despite the quirks, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the world on display here. It's a relatively linear adventure game, and the puzzles are mostly simplistic, but the world and the story keep you intrigued throughout the entire experience. What's more is that the pacing feels very well-done. There's a sequence where you have to solve a succession of memory puzzles while being pursued slowly by reanimated samurai corpses. While there's no permanent death or combat and the chase sequence was quite slow, I felt the tension and tried hard to rush myself to the end. It took me a few tries but I finally made it.

I also appreciate that, with an exception or two, Dan and the team took the opportunity to avoid tedium. Solving a puzzle almost always gives you a fast track to move on. For example, one of the puzzles was a maze but after solving it, you have quick access to the entrance. There are also a few cool secrets you can unlock if you keep a close eye on the environment.



That leads me to my final point: this game is literally designed to make a TesseracT fan smile. All the secrets, lyric fragments, rephrased lyrics and themes sprinkled throughout the game just made me crack a grin. I've listened to every TesseracT album more times than I can count (not including Altered State, which I've only heard a couple times) and I really love Dan's lyrical style, so recognizing these moments as I explored beautiful, surreal and atmospheric levels really felt rewarding as a fan.

Nonetheless, even if you're not a hardcore fan or haven't heard TesseracT before, I'd say this is worth a play considering its price point. If you enjoy Myst's gameplay style but wish those games had free-form movement and simpler puzzles, definitely grab War of Being. However, if you want a smoother, lengthier, more polished experience, it might be worth waiting for the full, Kickstarter-backed release. As it currently exists, this game was quite fun (even though I got nauseated from scrambling around looking for secrets!) and the full version the team is working on, it has so much promise. I can't wait for the full release!

[b]DISCLAIMER:[/b] [i]While I didn't technically receive it for free since I backed the campaign for the new version, I still marked it as such, since I didn't technically buy it via Steam. I am not sponsored but I do have stake in the game's success since I'm a backer.[/i] [hr] TesseracT is pretty much my favorite band right now and frontman Daniel Tompkins is my favorite vocalist of all time. I've also been an off-and-on viewer of Dan's Twitch streams since it started, though I haven't been able to catch many of them in a while. I know that Dan and the entire band always give everything every ounce of their passion to everything they do. As such, when I found out Dan was working with a small team to release a game based off of the concept of their newest (and, in my opinion, greatest) album, also titled [i]War of Being[/i], I knew this was going to be special. [h1]Through the eyes of the one in that picture-perfect moment[/h1] For an indie title that was initially designed by a tiny team as a VR experience, this game is quite visually attractive. The art direction is on point and, in many areas, downright stunning. Is it the most beautiful, photorealistic game I've ever seen? Certainly not but considering what they had to work with, it's massively impressive. The environmental design really evokes the surreal imagery that you see in the Myst games. The worlds you're exploring, they're uncanny and really do make you think that this is a manifestation of one's imagination which is, conceptually, a part of the concept behind this game and the album it's based off of. The surreal imagery also works hand-in-hand with truly stellar sound design, both of which come together to create such an impeccable sense of atmosphere. Once again, going back to the concept -- a war of being within your mind -- this atmosphere sells the theme to perfection. [h1]Machinery dredge the sea...[/h1] Gameplay-wise, the game is definitely very playable, which isn't something you always get with small-budget indie titles. It has some quirks, though. Using a standard controller is the the better way to experience the game if you don't have VR (I don't), but even then, it's a little janky. There's no gradual increase of speed; if you hit the threshold on the left stick, you're moving at full speed. Likewise, sprinting requires the left stick to be pressed down but you have such a low amount of stamina that it's barely worth using. Furthermore, reading notes is difficult if you're not really close to a light source; even if you're still relatively close, it's very tough to read the notes. Nonetheless, despite the quirks, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the world on display here. It's a relatively linear adventure game, and the puzzles are mostly simplistic, but the world and the story keep you intrigued throughout the entire experience. What's more is that the pacing feels very well-done. There's a sequence where you have to solve a succession of memory puzzles while being pursued slowly by reanimated samurai corpses. While there's no permanent death or combat and the chase sequence was quite slow, I felt the tension and tried hard to rush myself to the end. It took me a few tries but I finally made it. I also appreciate that, with an exception or two, Dan and the team took the opportunity to avoid tedium. Solving a puzzle almost always gives you a fast track to move on. For example, one of the puzzles was a maze but after solving it, you have quick access to the entrance. There are also a few cool secrets you can unlock if you keep a close eye on the environment. [h1]A world designed for you and me[/h1] That leads me to my final point: this game is literally designed to make a TesseracT fan smile. All the secrets, lyric fragments, rephrased lyrics and themes sprinkled throughout the game just made me crack a grin. I've listened to every TesseracT album more times than I can count (not including Altered State, which I've only heard a couple times) and I really love Dan's lyrical style, so recognizing these moments as I explored beautiful, surreal and atmospheric levels really felt rewarding as a fan. Nonetheless, even if you're not a hardcore fan or haven't heard TesseracT before, I'd say this is worth a play considering its price point. If you enjoy Myst's gameplay style but wish those games had free-form movement and simpler puzzles, definitely grab [i]War of Being[/i]. However, if you want a smoother, lengthier, more polished experience, it might be worth waiting for the full, Kickstarter-backed release. As it currently exists, this game was quite fun (even though I got nauseated from scrambling around looking for secrets!) and the full version the team is working on, it has so much promise. I can't wait for the full release!