The Light in the Storm

The waves crash around the ship as the storm tears through the night. The tall grass shoots through the sandy beaches in the distance. An old, spent campsite slumbers near the opening of the ominous cave..

In a season chock full of (some disappointing) AAA game releases, we’ve seen an impressive slew of smaller, indie titles that are absolutely stunning. Add Capy Games’ Below to that growing list and I would daresay, put it at the top. “A tiny warrior exploring the depths of a remote island" is how the designers have summarized the game and honestly, I would add “in a hauntingly beautiful adventure” as you hack, slash, explore and uncover secrets in this minimal yet stunningly designed world.

Stepping away from the pixelated art style of their previous game, Below has sharp and vector style graphics with a subtle but fantastic lighting system that is difficult to convey its beauty through screenshots alone. Also, on the audio front and similar to their previous collaboration for Superbrothers: Sword and Sorcery LP, Capy Games and Jim Guthrie have joined forces for Below and oh it is a marvelous thing. Jim Guthrie has composed another complex and layered sonic dream for the soundtrack that echos Superbrothers but is even more rich and varied. You can listen to the full soundtrack now on Jim’s Youtube channel if you want to get a taste.

Overall, I can’t wait to delve deeper into the strange yet stunning world of Below. If you want something to play over the Holidays that you can really sink your teeth into and get immersed, Below is available now for Xbox One and PC.