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  • svgSep 20, 2019Reviews

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    Quench, developed by Canadian indie studio Axon Interactive Inc., is a puzzle game about herding different tribes of animals through many obstacles. You are a bird named Shepherd that will guide these animals through an emotional pilgrimage using your power of the elements. I found the puzzles surprisingly varied and the story to have unexpected twists of intrigue and betrayal that I won’t be spoiling but rather be giving my impressions on my experience. The game is available now on Steam here and the Nintendo Switch here, the latter being the version I will be reviewing today. The myPotatoGames team would also like to thank the developers of Quench for giving us this review code!

    Your Pilgrimage

    The main focus is on the young new leader of the Elephant Tribe, Shaman located near the Western Elder Tree. It is Shaman’s duty to gather all of the other following tribe members: Springbok, Wildebeest, Zebra, Baboon, and Lion. Together they will travel to the Eastern Elder Tree and bring offerings to pray for prosperity and good fortunes. This is especially necessary as you have become aware that the lands to the East have become dry and hot, leaving many to go hungry, and dark spirits or smokebeasts have been plaguing their homes. You, the player, are born from a single fruit of the Western Elder Tree. I found this to be an interesting premise as elder trees grow in subtropical areas in real life and flower elderberries. It is even said in folklore that they ward off evil and give protection.

    Dark Spirits “Smokebeasts”

    Just when you think that the story would simply be about a voyage of hope, leadership, and union (which is a great story in its own right), the game is filled with tragedy, loss, and more questions I needed answered. I had previously not given much thought to the smokebeasts as I just figured they were enemies and that was that but there’s a lot more to it.

    There are different types that you will contend with that have their own ways of dealing with them. However, because you cannot zoom in and the levels can become quite chaotic, it can be hard to differentiate between Cindertsags and Ravagers (which took me a while to figure out which enemies those names belonged to). I think the game would have greatly benefited from a glossary or monster guide to not only show you the difference of appearance, but also to remind you how to defeat them (temporarily or otherwise).

    Levels and Puzzles

    There are a total of 28 levels, half of which are more like an epilogue where you return home and fight the final boss. The first few levels are like tutorials showing you how to use the Power Wheel and your Weather Powers which are as follows: rain, lighting, wind, and earthquake. There are groves that have stones to indicate either a resting spot or an area that requires a specific element to activate.

    At first I thought that the symbols on the stones where there to show you which power to use, but they are actually there to tell you which power you will receive. There can be more than just one stone and therefore the amount displays how many different powers you will gain in return for the one used. It took me several levels to see tiny triangles, maybe butterflies, floating around the groves with their color giving you a hint to the element needed.

    Keep Watching that Stamina Bar

    As your herd of animals walk, their stamina will drain. The tougher the terrain, the faster that bar will deplete. The specific rest areas need to be lush with green to have any effect on restoring stamina to your animals. If your stamina is empty, one member of the herd will die one after the other. When the levels were easy enough, I restarted the levels when an animal died thinking that if I run out, eventually I’ll have none to shepherd in the harder levels. I’ve also come to care for these animals and didn’t want to lose a single one. However, the number of animals you have will go back to their original count after every level. If you’re thinking “Well the elements are obvious; rain re-hydrates trees, earthquakes get rid of boulders, wind blows away sand, and lightning destroys thorns.”, you’re in for a spin later on.

    Weather Powers Can Do More

    Elements will also have some secondary benefits or problems such as rain healing your tribe or calming smokebeasts, lightning create brush fires in dry spots, wind uncovering enemies, pushing them away or speeding up your animals, etc. These are all things you have to take into account before using your powers. Luckily, the game will pause when you choose your power and lets you take a look around to plan out your paths and strategies. What I enjoyed the most is that there are usually several different ways to arrive to the same goal and your powers aren’t limitless. Therein lies the deeper puzzle aspect; you must ration your powers and/or trade them wisely. Meaning, you can and will run out of your powers if you’re not careful.

    Different Tribes, Different Strategies

    Once you have told your tribe of animals to set for a specific course, you cannot turn back. Sometimes even the most careful planning will be ruined by unexpected surprises as you watch your herd scatter away from a hidden enemy or having stragglers in the back that are slowing down the herd and draining more stamina.

    Things start to get really intense when you have more than one tribe of animals to control and they are placed in different areas of the map in your levels. They also have unique characteristics that you need to be aware of at all times. For example: elephants are great swimmers but are much slower on land, wildebeests can easily climb slopes, and baboons can throw their firestones at certain enemies. You’ll probably use a lot of your lightning to quickly revive fallen animals but it can be quite frustrating if it happens in the water or right in the middle of your tribe because you can accidentally kill the ones that are alive.

    Complete All Objectives to Pass

    Something that aggravated me towards the harder levels was the fact that instructions for the objectives where not at all clear. The main idea was there, but I struggled with what exactly it was that I was supposed to do when there were too many path choices that weren’t linear. Moreover, there was a level that told me to herd my animals to the water but I didn’t see any. Do I bring them south? North? Where do they want me to go? When this happened, I had to experiment quite a bit and then restart once I’ve figured out where everything was and what it did. Thankfully, not all levels where like this and sometimes a glowing ring showed you where you should head to.

    Graphics, Controls, and Sound

    I didn’t mind that the gameplay had low-poly graphics with very simple designs except when it came to not being able to clearly see what was what if there were several things bunched together. However, it helped when hovering over certain areas with your powers as they would light up if you were using the right one. Then I would get frustrated again when the game would often lag or not respond to my commands. At the end of each segment of the story, there was a wonderful recap with beautiful backgrounds with a “cave drawings” art style. That, coupled with the soundtrack, made the game feel like it was truly inspired by African culture.

    Every single level in the end was unique and changed with the story in mind. They can be pretty challenging but are grouped up into shorter stages so it’s not much of a drag if you need to do it over. The animals are adorable and every tribe leader has an interesting personality that made me care about the story just all the more! Sure I’ve had my fair share of troubles with the controls, explanations, and speed, but it was overshadowed by the games heartfelt narrative and exciting strategic puzzles. If you want to learn more about the game, need support, or want to chat with the developers, you can do so here on their Discord channel.

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  • svgAug 10, 2019News

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    The full lineup has been revealed for the PAX West Indie Megabooth, and these are the games we are most excited to see.

    PAX West 2019 is right around the corner, and we can’t wait to see how everything is going with some of our favorite indie titles. PAX has been growing in popularity since its inception in 2004. Now, the Penny Arcade Expo (or PAX as its now called) sees visitors from all over the world, meeting in one place to talk about one thing, games. This years PAX West will run from August 30th to September 2nd, and will take place at the Washington State Convention Center. There will be many games featured that are on the top of list of games to keep an eye on. Here are some of our favorites to appear at PAX West 201`9

    A Fold Apart

    A Fold Apart Pax West

    A Fold Apart is beautiful and emotion indie title that touches on some pretty deep topics. The game revolves around the two main characters being in a long distance relationship, and trying to find a way to come together. The game explores an emotional journey that was experienced by the developers themselves, then relayed into this adorable indie game. A Fold Apart is a side-scrolling 2D adventure with foldable environments. You must fold the world around you to find your way to that special someone. Learn more about A Fold Apart by checking out our coverage at myPotatoGames.

    Cook, Serve, Delicious 3

    Cook Serve Delicious 3

    We just can’;t get enough of cooking games here at myPotatoGames. Cook, Serve, Delicious has been on the collective gamers plates for sometime now, and has only increased in popularity since the release of the original title in 2013. The latest iteration in the cooking phenomenon now has its very own seat at this years PAX West. Its time chop, blend and mince our way across the country to become the best chef in the land. That land just happens to be a futuristic version of the U.S. where Nashville is the capitol. You can find out all you need to know about Cook, Serve, Delicious 3 by checking out myPotatoGames coverage of the title.

    Falcon Age

    Falcon Age

    The VR world has been quite a fickle being until recent times. Now, with so many great VR games on the table, its getting tougher to condemn this new way of gaming. Falcon Age is a perfect example of how far virtual reality gaming has come. You will get the chance to raise your very own falcon, and use it to hunt, gather and fight to reclaim your cultural legacy in the lost art of falcon hunting. Maybe even gain enough prestige as a falconer to impress Roland Deschain (not a character in the game). Falcon Age will also be making an appearance at the Megabooth, and you can find more info on the tile by (of course) checking out myPotatoGames coverage of the title.

    Spiritfarer

    Spiritfarer

    Spiritfarer is yet another beautiful title that leans a bit more toward the emotional side of gaming. You are basically playing the role of a cute version of Charon, the captain of the ferry across the River Styx. You will befriend the spirits that you have been tasked to transport, and will craft, farm and cook for them as you learn how best to say goodbye. Spiritfarer made a big splash at this years E3 conference, and we can’t wait to see what they have to show us at this years PAX West. Also, don’t forget to check out myPotatoGames coverage of Spiritfarer for more info on the title.

    Calico

    Calico

    It is quite possible that you live under a rock if you haven’t yet heard about Calico. Calico is the cutest game ever about magical girls running cat cafes. Calico is a super relaxing adventure title currently set to be released next year. This title is another that has taken much inspiration from Animal Crossing, and looks to be just as adorable. In Calico, you are beset upon a small village and tasked with opening and running a functioning cafe for the magical folk in the region. There are also cats. Lots of cats. So many cats, in fact, it might be the most pawesome and purrfect game currently in production. For more information on Calico, check out myPotatoGames coverage of the game.

    Quench

    Quench

    In case you missed it, Quench is a story-driven puzzle game where you play as Shepherd, an avatar of nature. The goal of the game is to manipulate the weather to guide Shaman, a young elephant, to help his herd in restoring their home to its natural state. However, Quench isn’t just about helping beings in a virtual world. The developers have also taken another most awesome and wholesome step in donating some of their profits to charity. This is such a beautiful gesture, and is one that we hope to see more in the gaming community. Learn everything you need to know about Quench, by…yes…checking out myPotatoGames coverage of the title. We weren’t kidding when we said we had some favorites at PAX West this year!

    Riverbond

    Riverbond PAX West

    Riverbond is a voxel style hack-n-slash dungeon crawler that we love for its super cute graphics. Riverbond will feature couch co-op multiplayer functionality, so you and friends can pick apart the world together. Riverbond is going to be playable on the Nintendo Switch at this years indie mini booth, and we can’t wait to see this title in action. Team up with friends to take out the darkness that now rules the land in Riverbond. For a few more details on this game, you can check out myPotatoGames coverage of the title.

    Newt One

    Newt One is an Uber-beautiful and whimsical indie title the is full of good vibes and fun times. In Newt One, the player is rewarded by how much life they are able to breathe into the world, instead of how much they can snuff out, which makes it the perfect addition to our favorites. Kinda the opposite of violence. You play as Newt, a new tone in the world of Groovy Hue, a musical land that has fallen into the Great Slumber. Is it up to you to spread your music throughout the land to bring music back into this silent environment. You can find out even more information about Newt One by checking out myPotatoGames coverage of the game.

    For more information about these awesome titles, as well as about the conference itself, be sure to check out the official website for this years PAX West Indie Megabooth and Minibooth.

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  • svgAug 9, 2019News

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    Quench is a story-driven puzzle game set in a colorful world. Help an adorable elephant to guide herds of animals while using the weather to your advantage. Quench is developed by Axon Interactive Inc., an indie studio based in Ontario, Canada. As of August 7th, 2019, you can purchase the game at the following locations: Nintendo Switch (North America), Nintendo Switch (Europe), Steam, and itch.io. Find out more about the game below and how you can help bring clean water to a community in need IRL.

    Charity Initiative for the Month of August

    Axon Interactive Inc. has announced on their Steam page the following: “We are proud to announce that $1 from all sales in the month of August will be donated to charity: water, an international non-for-profit organization whose mission is to bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. Up to $10,000 will be raised to fund a water project for a community in need, with real-time progress reported back to all players. We’re super excited to see what we can all make happen together.”

    About Quench

    Become Shepherd, an avatar of nature, and guide herds of animals on a perilous journey. Each generation, the Elephant Tribe makes a grand pilgrimage. But this time, something is different… Help Shaman, the young Elephant leader, convince the other animal tribes to join her. Protect your herds as they are beset by flood, fire, drought, and the dark smokebeasts that have spread across the land. Control the environment to guide herds of animals and restore their home in this colourful narrative puzzle game!

    Key Features

    • Change the environment around the animals with the powers of the Elder Tree: grow grass and trees, start forest fires, shift sand dunes, or create new rivers and lakes.
    • Overcome treacherous encounters with creatures and obstacles while carefully guiding your animals to safety.
    • Fall in love with a papercraft-inspired landscape set to a joyful original score by Adam Sakiyama.
    • Through gorgeous illustrated cinematics and in-game dialogue, explore how kindness, compassion, and forgiveness are powers unto themselves in this fable about overcoming differences to restore the world.

    For another great game with a great real-life cause, check out our article here: To The Rescue: A Little Help For Our Friends. Moreover, you can still make a pledge on their Kickstarter, which has officially been a success and now aiming for their stretch goals. Know that 20% of the profits of the game will go toward actual dog shelters!

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