Selfloss is an adventure with a strong emotional impact. The demo gives us a taste of the world and its dreamlike fantasy setting.
As soon as we started the demo we realized that Selfloss tries to be a title with very specific characteristics. The aesthetic and authorial aspect is certainly the most striking, thanks also to the inspiration from Slavic folklore.
From the first moments of the game, we realize that we are in a kind of limbo where a towering figure silently shows us the way. We find ourselves in a land infected by a black slime called Miasma. In the distance we see the body of a beached whale, now dying and covered in that slime. Beyond this we will meet various supernatural creatures with whom we can interact.
The protagonist is also particular: an elderly man named Kazimir who carries a stick with him.
The Mechanics of Selfloss
Already from the first game area Selfloss intelligently introduces the mechanics and its phases.
The game mainly has two phases: exploratory in which puzzles are solved and another more action.
In both phases our protagonist’s stick plays a central role.
The stick has the ability to emit a white light, allowing us to solve simple environmental puzzles. The player can channel light into a more intense beam for a short period of time, allowing for more elaborate puzzles.
The intense light is also useful for the action phases, because it is an effective weapon against the Miasma.
The main feature is that it is possible to simultaneously control the stick with the left stick of the gamepad and Kazimir with the right stick. Alternatively we can use the mouse and WASD keys on PC. We can also leave the stick by planting it on the ground and then move freely. An important mechanic for the exploration and combat phase. Although the exploratory phases are convincing, the action ones are a little too cumbersome and wooden. Luckily they don’t seem to compromise the experience too much.
Another important moment is the use of the boat. The game world we saw looks like a huge ocean full of archipelagos and the boat will be our ally. Exploring then leads us to discover plot secrets and lore, as well as upgrades for Kazimir. Here too, controlling the boat will not be easy due to some inertia in the controls.
Is Selfloss Worth Waiting For?
Selfloss appears to be a largely contemplative adventure, with action phases and environmental puzzles. The plot is mature and seems to want to deal with mature and serious topics. Selfloss itself is a healing ritual that serves to heal the soul of those who have suffered a loss. Kazimir will have to find his cure by helping the mythological creatures that populate this ocean.
A world strongly inspired by the marine ecosystem, both the real and the folkloristic part, which give a tone of suspension and silent disbelief.
Despite some gameplay “dirtiness”, it has all the conditions to amaze and above all make us think.
Selfloss is developed by Goodwin Games and is scheduled for release on September 12, 2024.
I’m a musician (pianist), a nerd and a longtime manga lover.
My gamer life started with a copy of Pitfall (1982) for Atari 2600, and so I grew up hand to hand with this medium until now. Later I started to look for what’s behind the final product, its design and what happens behind the scenes of the video game world.