Even the Ocean

A game by Analgesic Productions for PC, Mac, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One, originally released in 2016.

Even the Ocean is an action adventure starring Aliph, a power plant technician who Is tasked with saving Whiteforge City – the continent’s technology center and beacon of humankind – from a barely-understood force that threatens to destroy everything. When her colleague is killed on a routine mission to repair a power plant, Aliph finds herself working directly for the mayor who explains that several power plants across the continent are in danger of shutting down, while the resident scientist scrambles to determine the cause.

Everything in the game’s universe is founded upon light energy (green) and dark energy (purple) – which is a not-uncommon theme in gaming – but here it not only comes in the form of a gameplay element; it is also integrated into the narrative structure. Light energy is associated with vertical force, and dark energy is associated with horizontal force, which impacts Aliph’s movement as she interacts with the world around her (more on this in a bit).

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 2016, Analgesic Productions, Mac, PC, PS4, Ratalaika Games, Switch, Xbox One

Anodyne

A game by Analgesic Productions for PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch, originally released in 2013.

Anodyne is action-adventure game starring a white-haired bespectacled boy named Young who must save his dream world from a great evil called The Darkness. The game’s presentation and gameplay are inspired by The Legend of Zelda, featuring interconnected single-screen environments that pan into view as you move from one to the next, and the world is divided into overworld and dungeon-based environments (although the acquisition of equipment for completing dungeons plays almost no part here). A fitting retro-themed soundtrack accompanies the simple yet well-designed visuals.

Rather than a sword, our hero wields a rather unlikely weapon: a broom. One of the snarky statues you encounter along the way even comments about Young’s chosen weapon, joking that this was just as was foretold in The Legend. The game’s humor falls along the lines of Earthbound or Working Designs-localized RPG’s like Lunar. It’s not afraid to poke fun at itself and laugh about some of the innate silliness involved in the overall setup, but it has some serious moments here and there, offering a few dark vignettes before heading back into the otherwise lighthearted world.

The world is large but a map helps the player keep track of previously explored areas and as yet inaccessible locales. The 160x160 pixel screens offer up a great deal of variety, with beaches, caves, cliffside trails, pastoral plains, strange red landscapes with walking trees, and no shortage of rivers and lakes. There are also a number of less fantasy-inspired areas, including paved roads, towns, and a hotel.

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 2013, Analgesic Productions, Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One