Developer: Bleeding Moon Studio, Iphigames
Platform: PC (Reviewed)
Genre: Adventure
Publisher: Iphigames
Skaramazuzu is a 2D story-driven adventure game. This game was developed by Iphigames with Bleeding Moon Studio and published by Iphigames. There are a few games similar to Skaramazuzu, but they do not entirely play like it. This game is only available for Windows.
Skaramazuzu is a single-player game where you play as Skaramazuzu, or Zuzu for short, who has been tasked to find out why they have been placed in this realm between life and death. The game revolves around Zuzu, who has to carry out their quest to uncover their purpose and identity whilst being guided through strange characters within the void. As Zuzu explores this void, they encounter various characters that each have their own motives; Zuzu assists them in achieving their main quest.
The controls for Skaramazuzu are fairly simple to get used to. The game mainly just uses the keyboard, and I found the mapping to be simple and nothing over-complicated. In and of itself, the game does not require players to press an array of keys, which makes the experience fitting for the style of the game. There were no noticeable delays, and everything worked quite smoothly.
I have to say that the dialogue for this game, with the addition of voice emotes, really creates an immersive storytelling experience which keeps the players interested, and this surely can not take away from the outstanding visuals of the game. Simple with monochromatic colours and stunning line work, the game creates this melancholy atmosphere with such simple yet intricate details. The game features a side-scrolling type of look with slight 3D elements to make the visuals even more captivating to the players. I love the hand-drawn art, which really sets an eerie atmosphere, therefore enhancing the player’s experience. It’s such a distinctive art style in comparison to other games, and each character/NPC Zuzu interacts with has an intriguing design which appeals to the player. The visuals are also complemented by the smooth ambient music, which ties in with the atmosphere.
What truly sets this game apart from other games is the exploration and puzzle mechanics, which drive the player to really focus on the character-to-character interaction, which builds upon the story more and more. This puts a great deal of work into the story that unveils, and meeting the unique characters makes the game so much more exciting. I loved the array of puzzles, and the best part of these puzzles was the interaction and the journal. The journal is such a good way to allow players to understand the route that Zuzu has collected certain information to finish a quest for other characters. I also really love the storytelling of this game, as it keeps the player engaged from start to finish, and nothing really beats the interactions. It is almost like Zuzu is a lost child trying to find their way in this unknown world, and that shows through the way Zuzu interacts.
I love how the game sets apart everything, and it uncovers one mystery after another, only challenging your perspective as a player. The game goes beyond just telling a simple story but really delves into this realm that has been created. You pretty much get immersed into being Zuzu. The game heavily focuses on exploration, making sure that players explore every bit of an area and really getting players to use logic to complete the motives.
If you are looking for a game that has a compelling story with distinctive visuals and a thrilling atmosphere, then this game is just for you. Skaramazuzu does a wonderful job at keeping the player captivated from start to finish with a number of unique character interactions and puzzle-solving. It is a fun and intriguing game, so be sure to check out Skaramazuzu!
Overall: 9/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
