Ode Review - Musical discovery

After titles such as Grow Home and Grow Up, Ubisoft-studio Reflections has made a new experimental game. In Ode everything revolves around music and discovery. As a fallen star Joy you roll past dark places to bring back sound, color and above all life.

Ubisoft developers are given the opportunity to work on smaller games in which they can lose more of their own. Ode is an example of that. The game can be played in a single game session, but in that time span the makers clearly show their love for audio and discovery.

Spread joy

In four levels you play as little Joy in a bubble through fantasy worlds. Here you collect small luminous balls that automatically stick to you and roll over. These balls should be handed in with thick green blobs to bring the worlds to life. If you reach enough blobs, music starts to sound. When you awaken more and more, the music becomes more complex. Until the symphony is complete and you shoot upwards towards the next world.

These worlds do not differ much from each other, but they are fun to roll around. All plants and other objects have their own sounds when touched, which merge effortlessly with the overarching music. You are clearly a guest in these worlds, because you disturb the quiet surroundings with your roll and fill the silence with sound. Yet the worlds also need you to flourish. Without you, it remains dark and boring. You spread joy.

Do not leave an impression

Just like in Grow Home and Grow Up you will get further opportunities to move forward in the world. For example, if you fall in a red bath, you suddenly roll around like a wheel and you get the chance to shoot the collected balls away. After a green bath you change into a kind of caterpillar that climbs from mushroom to mushroom. This will invite you to discover in new ways.

For the low price you get a nice experience, but Ode lacks the pleasure of Grow Up or the beauty of similar game Flower. This is largely due to music. Despite the interesting layering of the tunes, it does not linger. The game also goes increasingly towards a platformer, while the platform gameplay is not that strong.

It is insane that Ubisoft offers space for such experimental games, in which new forms of movement and discovery are central. Sometimes this works better than the other. Ode has a friendly idea, but leaves no lasting impression.

Ode is available for PC via Uplay.

Conclusion

In Ode, developer Ubisoft Reflections once again looks at exploration in games in an experimental way. With an emphasis on music Ode is nice to roll through. Unlike the earlier work, however, this game does not last long.

➕ Original game, cheerful, focus on music
➖ Music is a bit disappointing, platforms do not work that well

Thanks for reading.

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