Rymdresa

Having recently read The Martian and seen Gravity, we had been nurturing the desire for an atmospheric survival story set in space. Morgondag's Rymdresa then, arrived at exactly the right time.

It quickly dawned on us that the core of this game is light years away from either title. Both offer main characters that are plagued by anxiety, stress and countless problems. Rymdresa on the other hand is a (mostly) relaxing adventure where you explore at your own leisure.

It starts off with Earth exploding from the impact of an asteroid. Just like that (Bruce Willis and his drilling buddies must have been on vacation). We're left to our own devices, floating around in space in our ship. Space - a cold, quiet place where the mysteries are plentiful and odds of survival are slim, where the stars are countless and your existence seems utterly unimportant. Morgondag manages to capture this magnificently in Rymdresa - a two-dimensional roguelike-like adventure two years in the making.

The end product impresses, especially the music and the minimalist audio. A lonesome piano sets the mood when the short introduction is over and Rymdresa's first chapter begins. The score really sets the stage and from the very first click we're immersed in a unique experience.

There's no need for a keyboard. All we're using to play is the mouse (although an Xbox 360 controller works too). Our ship turns with the pointer and left-clicking sends it on its way - very slowly, like an old steam engine. Not that it's on-rails. Quite the opposite in fact, as we're free to go in any direction and on into eternity.

The movement of the ship reminds us of the way the puck moves on an air hockey table, but without the frantic bounces. The pacing here is relaxingly slow and with time it feels almost like therapy. This isn't a game for those needing a quick fix and a rush of adrenaline. The calm that arises as we glide through space is unlike most experiences we've had - a good thing in an area dominated by explosions, guns and tons of violence. Morgondag is aiming for a different crowd with this game - it's simply there for those who want to relax.

Our mission in the first chapter is to find nine beacons. Piece of cake, right? At least, that's what we thought as we made our way to the first. Along the way poetic monologues pop up - read by a robot voice (played by Eric Reed) that reminds of HAL 9000 in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. It feels appropriate, even if they start to repeat as you spend a lot of time in space. You can, of course, click them away (and you will, once they start to repeat). The chatter can be borderline pretentious, but it has charm.

In addition to the monologuing there are the odd satellite and planet that appear en route. As we pass over them there's the option to investigate further, which typically results in points and more resources/fuel. The points also appear as glowing stars randomly dispersed around the galaxy, and as our vessel comes close they are sucked into the ship with a satisfying sound. These points can be spent on new ships, something we'd previously steered away from; up until now the standard ship had served us well.

These points also level up our lonely hero, giving them the choice of five attribute points to upgrade the ship with. There are four different trees to spend points on - nothing comes across as anything but useful. Each tree offers something important to facilitate the journey. We quickly decide to focus on the survival tree as it offers additional fuel.

Fuel is called resources, and it doubles up as health. It slowly depletes as we fly around and explore, and as we come across traps and dangerous planets (these are indicated with a red outline) fuel quickly disappears. The slow and peaceful hunt for beacons comes to an abrupt end as the gravity of a giant sun pulls us in and we crash. The fuel runs out in no time and it's Game Over. That's how merciless space can be at times.

It's as merciless as an '80s arcade game or a pure roguelike, but the difference here is that Rymdresa saves some of your progress - at least as far as points, upgrades and useful items go. Other areas of progress, for example the beacons we visited during our first attempt, were not saved. Reaching beacon eight and then dying will frustrate, but the lack of save points in the first chapter will make for more careful captains.

After a few tries we finally reached the second chapter where some new gameplay mechanics await. Soon the option of carrying a rechargeable shield appears, allowing us to crash into an obstacle without losing fuel. A vital upgrade that allows for (slightly) less careful piloting, especially since we came across a new engine that allows for a greater maximum velocity and acceleration. There are lots of items to apply to the ship, something that adds purpose to what is an otherwise somewhat unfocussed trek from a narrative perspective. It speaks to the fact that you're not really urged to go anywhere, but rather to take your time and explore.

Not all exploration is as rewarding as it could be. One issue is the teleportation gates we encountered. As you enter these you're taken to another sector of space. A very desolate part of space where there are no new planets or enemies. We give it ten minutes before realising it's completely empty. Perhaps there's a super rare item somewhere if we persist, but finally our patience wears thin and we realise it's a pointless diversion. We run out of fuel and restart the second chapter. Unlike the first chapter, progress on the main mission is saved - a good thing as the obstacles to overcome are more numerous and deadly here.

As we make our way to the third and final chapter, there is a reward in the shape of bosses. Unexpected and completely impossible to clear on your first attempt. These are turn-based poetic exchanges, and there's two options to pick from each time our turn comes around. One thing we noticed here was a problem with using an Xbox 360 controller: it turns out to be surprisingly cumbersome, especially when it comes to navigating the menus. Normally we prefer the controller, but Rymdresa is clearly best played with a mouse.

If you lack both time and patience, then Rymdresa is not for you. Action junkies will likely loathe this slow moving adventure. But if you're looking for a quirky and unique gaming experience, and want a relaxing game to play, then Morgondag's game is worth a look. We really enjoyed our journey and will return to it next time we want/need a break. Together with Grow Home, this the most relaxed game of 2015 thus far.