REVIEW: The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature

REVIEW: The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature

A breathtakingly beautiful and very poignant re-telling of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

Released: Steam
Soundtrack available
Type: Single-player
Genre: Adventure,
Branching Narrative
Developer: La Belle Games
Publisher: Arte France
Release date: 30 Oct, 2019

Intro

The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature is a game that I would definitely consider more art than game. It’s an artistic interpretation of the story of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley but it gives the story it’s own unique touch. If this is the type of game that you enjoy or have a passion for art, read on!

The Cottage Where The Wanderer Spends A Year Reading An Encyclopedia to Learn the Human Language.

Story and Setting

The story is told from the perspective of Frankenstein’s creature who goes by the name The Wanderer. The Wanderer awakens one day to find himself alone and without any memory of how he had come to be in the place he had awakened. He sets out of this unknown world to find his place. When he arrives in a nearby village in the forest, the human occupants speak a language unknown to him and they turn violent and chase him through the streets. Thus begins his journey across the world to find his place in the world.

The story’s theme is very similar to the original Frankenstein story. It’s about what it means to be human as well as how we as humans can be the true monsters of a story without realizing it. Frankenstein starts as a humble creature but years of being chased from everywhere he attempts to find a home, he becomes isolated and alone. It’s not a happy story, and there’s no happy endings either.

It’s a very poignant retelling that does an amazing job of keeping the overall feel and atmosphere that the original novel had while making it unique in it’s own right.

The story has a branching system where you can solve puzzles to affect the story as well as choose between two options during dialogue. These choices impact the overall story and affects the world around The Wanderer by giving or taking away color from the world.

I should also mention that this game is more so based on the original 1818 version of Frankenstein (The vastly superior version, I might add) and not the 1831 version where Frankenstein can’t talk.

One of the Meadows That The Wanderer Finds Himself Crossing On His Long Journey.

Art and Music

The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature, is easily one of the prettiest retellings of Frankenstein that I’ve ever experienced. It’s an absolutely breathtaking experience that’s only enhanced by its incredibly atmospheric orchestral soundtrack. The art is beautifully drawn in 2D but it has a ton of detail. As you move across larger landscapes, the world moves with your character giving you the sensation that your character is moving long distances at a time. Paths eventually line up to meet each other and The Wanderer’s journey progresses through an impressive backdrop.

Individual scenes are equally beautiful and they’re equally packed with detail. One of the most impressive areas is near the end of the game during a fishing festival. The streets are jam-packed with people and there’s color and festive decorations everywhere. It’s really a sight to behold.

The soundtrack to this game is absolutely amazing and easily one of my favorite parts of this game. It’s recommended at the start of the game to use headphones and I second that notion. Listening to that music made the audiophile in me immensely happy and it really drew me into the story. I’ve always been a firm believer that good audio is equally important to any other part of a game, and this game does amazing in the audio section.

One of the Final Towns The Wanderer Visits On His Journey during a Fishing Festival.

Verdict

Overall, I’m incredibly impressed with The Wanderer: Frankenstein’s Creature, it’s a very beautiful and often very sad re-telling of one of my favorite novels to have ever been written. It’s poignant and keeps the overall feel of Mary Shelley’s writing intact. If you’re in the market for something that’s pretty, has a great soundtrack, and excellent narration, then The Wanderer is definitely a great option. I give this one a Save, definitely one of my favorites of the year so far. It would also be a game of the year contender in the art category for me as well.

Written by
KyoAkiara
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