Wednesday, 6th November 2013

LillyLookingThrough
Game Lilly Looking Through
Released 2013
Developer Geeta Games
Available GOG Steam

Lilly Looking Through is the first Kickstarter funded Adventure game I've played! And a great first Kickstarter game too.

You guide Lilly through a series of charming whimsical fantasy scenes to rescue her brother. Early on Lilly gains a pair of goggles which gives her an alternate view of the scene she's in. Using these goggles is key to solving some of the Myst style puzzles (one of the people behind Geeta Games worked for Cyan). There's no inventory to speak of, solving the puzzles requires experimentation and observation and leaps of thought. The puzzles aren't impossible, but are hard enough to give a sense of accomplishment as Lilly moves forward.

The backdrops are lovingly envisaged and drawn. Slightly jarring is that Lilly and her brother don't visually match, the characters are plainer and simpler. The game menu is artistic, but only saves at the end of each episode. If you quit halfway through an episode you will have to replay all of it. There wasn't any way I found to click through the cutscenes which could be lengthy.

What the red ribbon represents I'm not sure - it whisks Lilly's brother away at the start of the game. There's a puzzling encounter near the end. The game finishes oddly almost suggesting a sequel.

A beautiful game set in childhood dream vistas, with solid mechanical puzzles to be teased and explored.