Topic: World to the West Preview

[Justin Nation]

You'll need to adventure and solve puzzles in the shoes of 4 very distinct characters over the course of this journey

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/preview/45684/world-to-the-west-preview

Playing mostly like the lovechild of a classic top-down Legend of Zelda title and something along the lines of The Lost Vikings, World to the West is an action adventure game that takes you on a journey through the eyes of multiple characters. In order to find success you’ll need to become accustomed with the capabilities of each character and then use that knowledge to solve a multitude of puzzles that will require careful coordination of each party member. It’s the mix of combat, strategy, exploration, and puzzle-solving that make World of the West stand out.

Over the course of play you’ll take control of four different characters. The journey begins with Lumina, who has the ability to teleport short distances, among other things. Knuas, who can dig under the ground, fit through small spaces, and even ice skate further on into the game. Teri, who can use her scarf as a whip so that she can traverse small gaps (assuming there’s a pole on the other side) and can also use mind control on animals. Then, finally, there’s Lord Clonington, a strong man who is about the only party member adept at battling, and who can climb small ledges and smash specific types of rocks.

Throughout the course of the game your challenge will mostly be to look at your situation and figure out which character is necessary to get past an obstacle or how to use their abilities to advance. Much like games in the Zelda franchise you’ll often see places you may not be able to get to just yet. I’d say one frustration is that with multiple characters you’ll need to be careful not to expend a lot of time over-thinking things and trying to get at something too much. More typically than not when you can’t get to something you’re not meant to yet and should likely just make a mental note.

Overall World to the West has a wonderful art style, light and mostly casual action, and some great puzzles to think over. There are some spots where, even earlier on, I got a little lost in what I was supposed to do but I suppose that’s not unusual for this type of game either. The characters each have their own charm and limitations so you’ll need to adjust your approach with enemies in particular with each character. I look forward to checking out the rest of the game once it arrives on the Switch.