First-person grappler The Free Ones swinging out in July
Wheeee!
I remain fascinated by games which want to tell us emotional, introspective stories while also whipping us through levels at breakneck speed - games like Valley and A Story About My Uncle. Soon to join that list is The Free Ones, a first-person platformer about refugees and former slaves escaping the island they're trapped on, which involves a whole lot of swinging around canyons and under skytrains on a splendidly unrealistic grappling hook. And why not? The game's due to launch in a fortnight so, for now, come see the trailer below.
To be honest it, I'm in this so much more for the swinging than the story. My adoration of virtuagrappling and zipzooming is no secret. But, y'know, it'd be nice if the story turns out nice too. I dream of a day when chatty drama-focused so-called 'walking simulators'--which aren't even walking simulators, okay--all involve grappling hooks. And if everything involved grappling hooks. Sling your Hyperloop; give me Hyperhook.
The Free Ones is due to launch via Steam on July 12th, priced at $15. Windows, Mac, and Linux versions are planned. It's made by Farsky Interactive, the studio founded by the fella behind the undersea Minecraftbut FarSky. Farsky have been posting development progress videos on their YouTube channel, for those who want to see more.