A timeless classic.
Stunning. Everything about this game is stunning. What the game lacks in story more than makes up for in style and exuberance into the unknown. The feeling of dread is at its best here, maintained elegantly from start to finish, only bettered or paralleled by Konami's Silent Hill series. It truly encompasses this feel of an alienated world that is vastly different to our own. Though the nature of the world, your reason for being there and the ambiguous ending doesn't really detail the events that have transpired, this game is merely about surviving in this hostile world. To be both mesmerising and terrifying at the same time.
Playing the game couldn't be made simpler. You have your directional keys to move the character, one button to jump and the other to activate or shoot. That's it. However, the difficulty in solving puzzles and events is what will deter people away from it. You will die. A lot. But from this trial and error way of gaming you will eventually see a means to finding the solution. The feeling of satisfaction when completing each and every puzzle is incredible.
What led itself brilliantly to the game are the graphics and its art direction. Each interior and exterior environment is simply dazzling, ingenuity of craftsmanship that show the level of attention to detail. The character models may lack acute details, however they are all superbly animated and genuinely portray life like movements when they move. It's amazing at how well the enemies and main character contrive to the atmosphere. With the 15th Anniversary edition, as well as the original resolution, you have the option of playing with smoother details and compatibility with modern monitors.
As with all bleak games that play with the emotion of fear and dread, the sound is both minimal and masterfully used. The only real music is at the title screen, the sounds that punctuate the game is environmental sound effects from the wind howling to explosions to the alien sounds of the hostile creatures. It brilliantly captures the second half of the atmosphere, and at times often succeeds the graphics. With that being said though, it only illustrates that both graphics and sounds, when used correctly, can create a believable and cohesive atmosphere.
Another World's lifespan is marginally down to the game's difficulty in solving puzzles. Progressions through the game are relatively straightforward and very rarely are you lost. This is a challenging game, but it's possible to complete if you're willing to persevere.
Another World is a fantastically designed game, all the more so because everything was designed and created by one man, Eric Chahi. It's a intricately woven designed game with ingenious puzzles, a great atmosphere and one of the most satisfying gaming experiences you can have. Age hasn't damaged the game; instead it just demonstrates the timeless nature of the game. It's as great to play today as it was 15 years ago. And with the 15th Anniversary edition, you get more of an insight into the making of the game with a detailed book of the original code, many interviews and artwork to explore. It's also cheap to buy, and with this being one of the most influential, groundbreaking and greatest games, that is an absolute steal. Buy it.