It takes a good developer to make a good game. It takes an artist to make an amazing game. And let this just be the case for Ovivo, where the lines between true art and a wonderful game just blend together. And it actually took me by full surprise. It mustn’t have been easy creating this seemingly simplistic game. But I am truly happy that they actually did create it like the way that it is. So, what am I talking about here? Art? Yup, pretty much. Izhard truly went above and beyond into pouring their soul into this one, and it shows. In this cute little platform puzzle game, you are tasked to go from start to finish. Collect the black and white dots and gather circle pieces. It truly is a game that warrants consideration and contemplation. But, let’s get into the nitty-gritty here guys. This is my review for, Ovivo.
- Artistical Visuals: Wauw… I’ve got to say, boys and girls, Ovivo did an amazing job into making their game look absolutely perfect! And you may wonder, but how? There’s nothing special about their graphics! It’s literally black and white! And you are right. And just because it’s so simplistic, makes the game look that more appealing. We’ve been bombarded with so many stunning visuals, high-definition 3D graphics that we tend to lose sight of what a different type of beauty looks like. Especially the minimalistic one. But, Ovivo surely delivers on that part. Yet it’s not only that though. A lot of time has been put into each level. Each tiny detail that must’ve made the creation of every unique level excruciating? Truly shows the craftsmanship and dedication to their project by Izhard.
- Amazing Soundtrack: Could I get a copy of this soundtrack, please? So that I can just close my eyes, turn on my playlist and doze off into a perfect deep sleep? Because… My god! Whoever composed these pieces? Is an absolute genius! Rarely have I heard such a soft and perfectly attuned soundtrack that fits the purpose of their game so well, as here! Not only will you be blown away by the quality of the visuals, but if you’ve got a good headset or speaker system? Turn that volume up and let yourself drift away on that ocean of tranquility and only come back when you’re thirsty! Izhard? You’re a winner in my book! That’s for sure!
- Deeper Meanings: Have you ever looked at those ink images and the question “What do you see here” is asked? Well, that’s exactly how you could describe each level you’re going to be jumping through. At first, it might look like an odd configuration of hills and pitfalls. But when you eventually reach that end of the road? The map zooms out, and you get to see the full picture of what you’ve been going through. And these are absurd! There is even section that you’ve never gone through! Yet they were still created to make the image whole. And that is just mindblowing that a developer would go through so many details, and efforts? Just to make an incomplete half, whole! If only other, bigger developers would take a moment and look at what Izhard has done here. They could actually learn a thing or two from them, truly!
- Disorientating movement: I just couldn’t get my brain to fully adjust to the constant switching between the black and white sections. Sure it just flips the gravity on you. But when you’re moving at a certain pace, or you’ve got to time a few jumps perfectly in sequence? The sense of up and down gets lost in translation and sends you into a conflicting thought-storm. Although it doesn’t really impact the feeling of the game? It still feels kind of a bummer when you expect to go down when the opposite suddenly happens, and you’ve got no way to recover. Other than hope, a different segment is there to catch your fall.
- Nothing: It’s been a long time since I actually had nothing to write about in the “what is bad” section. And I really mean a long time! But… It has happened. I think that this is the first time of the year even! Izhard, it’s really hard for me to actually have nothing bad to write about a game. But you? You did it with flying colors!
Score: 87%
Simplicity is sometimes better than having a complex system of intricate details working together into making a perfect marvel. Why? Because these tend to jumble up and eventually brings a game down instead of lifting it up. Izhard had enough courage to bring us a simple game where the eye for quality totally shines through. A perfect coalition where gameplay, audio, and visuals mix and matches into each other so it can bring us the near-perfect game that’s called Ovivo. A shining example for developers that quantity doesn’t always trump Quality! And lastly, Izhard? Never lose this kind of dedication to your craft! Keep making games like you made Ovivo. You’ve made me into a true fan of your ability! And I truly cannot wait to see more from your studio!
Developer: Izhard Publisher: Izhard
Played on: Xbox One X Also available on: PS4 – Switch and PC
Alexis spent 5 hours enjoying this game’s art
Achievement difficulty for 1000 Gamerscore: 10ish hours should do
Perfect for: Puzzle and Art fans!
Xbox Game Store link: Click here
