In a world seemingly facing its final hours, a young lady awakens from her slumber knowing only that she must leave the tower she’s in to search for herself beyond.
Content Guide
There are dark, scary creatures and suspenseful gameplay moments that could be frightening to younger audiences.
Review
Ina is the Heart of the tower. Powered by her dreams, the monolith seemingly protects life on her planet. After gargantuan knights disrupt her stasis, she seeks a way to return to the life she once knew.
While attempting to escape the monument, she’ll deal with several of the Tower’s mysterious inhabitants, solving a multitude of puzzles to reach her goal. While there are a couple real brain teasers, the majority were easy enough to prevent frustration. The game keeps the platforming sequences focused enough to serve the puzzles without requiring overbearing precision, too.
Aspire is a visually stunning treat. The 2-D art has a striking aesthetic that, while simple, looks gorgeous in motion. The use of vibrant colors with sharp lines draws your eyes in continuously, accentuating a motif of light and dark that plays into the world design. The game also features a fantastic soundtrack with big, sweeping melodies that further pull you into the experience.
Aspire: Ina’s Tale is a welcome surprise from an obviously-passionate indie team. The game features gorgeous visuals, an engaging soundtrack, and clever puzzle design. While the narrative is well-told, and the shroud of mystery will prompt discussion long after the credits roll, the emotional impact we were hoping for over Ina’s journey never quite hit the mark. Still, we enjoyed every minute of our time in the Tower and hope others will too.
“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” – Luke 21:36
Aspire: Ina's Tale
Aspire: Ina’s Tale is a welcome surprise from an obviously-passionate indie team. The game features gorgeous visuals, an engaging soundtrack, and clever puzzle design. While the narrative is well-told, and the shroud of mystery will prompt discussion long after the credits roll, the emotional impact we were hoping for over Ina’s journey never quite hit the mark. Still, we enjoyed every minute of our time in the Tower and hope others will too.