Indie Puzzle Game is Delightful and Meaningful
At first glance, Yono and the Celestial Elephants is a cute puzzle game meant for a light play, but as you go through there is always more to discover. You play as the ever adorable Yono, a little blue elephant with a mission, but he’s not quite sure what that mission is just yet. The game was created by Swedish game developer Niklas Hallin’s company Neckbolt. The game is cute and incredibly captivating, and its themes become political while maintaining it’s sweet exterior.
Yono has two basic functions, a headbutt and using his trunk. By using Yono you get through puzzles to help people, save friends, and ultimately save the kingdom from a war. The presence of an elephant in this world signifies a mortal deity (Yono can, unfortunately, die), and the people are glad to see one. There are 3 races of people: Humans, Bonewights, and Mekani. Yono has no idea what his purpose is, other than to just help people, so that’s what he does! He’s sweet and eager to learn, and oh so cute! He travels to each domain to help the people in need; the Bonewights are plagued by the blight that can only be cured by an elephant. These people are skeletal and their whole existence was created by the previous elephant that walked the earth. The Mekani are robots who were once enslaved by the Humans, but they have since declared freedom. Their freedom comes at a price though, they are subjected to heavy taxes for trade, and there is speak of a rebellion from the robotic people.
Yono is constantly told that he is great and he’ll save the world, especially by the monks that worship elephants. The thing about Yono is that he is young. He doesn’t fully understand the world, but that’s ok! He’s given time to think about what he wants to do for the people, and since he can find no grand gesture to give, he just helps! He helps kids find their lost dog; he helps someone water their plants; he just loves helping. The sweet nature of the game doesn’t mask the occasional heavy handed comment by those around Yono. There is serious need of reform in this world, especially when the executioner asks the real question of why a state should have the option of taking someone’s life. This game though is not an overt political statement, rather reflective of the state their being. The characters aren’t oblivious to their world, they have thoughts on how to improve their world and how others can as well! Yono is there to listen and learn, not to start a war.
The main game play is puzzles, with some side quests. The puzzles are fun, interesting, and they aren’t overdone. The main quest puzzles can seem very long, but there’s no fun in beating a game in a day! Each area has a distinct feel and challenges unique to the dungeons. To me, the puzzles are secondary to the actual story line. The puzzles are indeed fun and engaging, but to learn about this world and what it means to Yono and his friends, that is where the real fun lies. There’s a secret that you have to unlock and the puzzles are just the vehicle.
This is a delightful game with a social message underlying that we should all pay attention to; too much power in the wealthy hurts the common man in the end. We won’t have a mythical elephant to help us out in the end, we’re going to have to change our society as we progress, even if change is scary. And as one of Yono’s companions shows, it’ll most likely be our younger generation that will change it all.
