Background
Deep, thought-provoking and adorable are just a few of the words to describe the adorable game known as “Unravel”. Developed by ColdWood Interactive and released on February 9, 2016, it depicts the adorable little character of Yarny as he uses his yarn to make his way through levels and puzzles and surviving the harsh outside world while using his own body yarn to lasso his way from platform to platform while trying to keep from running out of yarn altogether. Yarny, while cute and clever, is not the most endurable little guy out there. He needs your help to complete his adorable adventure.
Story
Unravel opens up with an elderly woman looking through an album, she then goes to head upstairs with her yarn basket, when a tiny ball of red yarn falls out and down the stairs. Out of this small ball pops our little hero named Yarny. Yarny then sets out on a quest to collect little yarn pieces, while collecting memories along the way. He must traverse very dangerous environments such as the woman’s garden and the docks. Every location in the game is inspired by the dev teams home in Sweden, and most of the locations are ones that they hold close to their own hearts. As the story continues Yarny’s adventures become even more perilous as he is up against increasingly dangerous odds, he continues to collect the missing pieces and bring the woman together with her family.
Gameplay
Unravel’s controls are built around Yarny using the yarn that makes up his body to travers obstacles and dangers to complete stages and fill his scrapbook. As a ball of yarn you must make sure you don’t run out of yarn as you progress through the levels. You will find yarn lying around levels and Yarny will lose yarn as he ties things up and moves forward through the level. He is able to use his yarn for a bunch of different purposes, such as a lasso, which he uses to latch on to far away items, he can also use it as a swing to swing himself from one location to the next. By tethering his yarn to two opposite posts, Yarny can create a trampoline that he can use to bounce to higher ledges. Yarny will also find himself running from danger… a lot and you will need to use all the skills you have to avoid being ripped apart by crabs, carried off by birds, or eaten by an adorable yet terrifying chipmunk. For a ball of yarn, he is incredibly resourceful with his thread.
Beautiful Symbolism
Yarny is an adorable game protagonist and an amazing symbol for the world we live in. He is a physical representation of the bonds that we share with the people we meet and love in life. His yarn represents the bonds and that when properly cared for can stretch for miles and for generations, which is represented by Yarny needed to maintain his yarn body and not run out as he travels these areas. He uses his yarn to defeat every obstacle put before him to help bridge the gaps and keep these precious memories together. He is a great analogy for all of us and that is why this silent ball of yarn hits home for players.
Verdict: 9/10
Unravel is undoubtedly a beautiful game filled with challenging puzzles and obstacles. It carries with it a lesson that rings true for people of all ages. A game riddled with symbolism and engaging elements. The score of the game never bogs down the narrative or interrupts the subtle moments of reflection. It is a truly empowering and eye-opening experience that leaves one with thoughts one their own life, and the strength of the bonds they share with others. With all that said I do have to say that the controls can be rather annoying as you will find that the game wont lock onto the next swing point only to watch yourself fall to your death and have to start that puzzle over. The passion that went into the development of this game is apparent and only helps to promote the games mission. Unravel is a great experience and one that will stick with the player long after the credits have rolled.
