Giraffe and Annika Review (NSW)

Written by Alexander O. Cuaycong and Anthony L. Cuaycong

Title: Giraffe and Annika
Developer: Atelier Mimina
Publisher: NIS America
Genre: Adventure
Price: $29.99

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Giraffe and Annika, the inaugural offering of developer Atelier Mimina founded by veteran game designer Atsushi Saito, isn’t aiming to be a standout. As far as anime-inspired releases go, it’s middle of the road in presentation, with a pleasant art style and fairy-tale narrative designed more to please than to challenge. That said, it manages to offer a pleasant experience that provides no small measure of entertainment in ways that plenty other puzzle platformers don’t.

In Giraffe and Annika, players take control of the neko Annika, thrust into the magical island of Spica with no recollection of her past. Spurred on by a boy named Giraffe who acts as a guide, Annika must do what she can to recover her memories, diving into the world around her and interacting with its inhabitants. She goes on quests, explores dungeons, does battle with enemies, and collects stars along the way, but she finds herself breaking no sweat. The challenges aren’t especially difficult; puzzles are laid out neatly for crafty but easy solving, while combat -- coming by way of rhythm spectacles that require synchronized jumping – offers no threat of death.

In short, Giraffe and Annika engages, but not to the point of exhaustion. Rather, it aims to provide a welcoming experience not unlike a fireside chat with a long-lost friend on a chilly night, warm cookies and milk in hand. Its emphasis isn't on getting to the end of the story, but, rather, on the fun players have while going on adventures en route. And whatever Annika lacks in skills, she makes up for with intelligence. She can't beat down her foes, but she can outwit them. Meanwhile, she interacts with her environment to progress.

All told, Giraffe and Annika shows a lot of heart. Its fairly simple interface notwithstanding, it comes off as a labor of love that makes its message stick. It's not a long game, but it doesn't let up in vibrancy. It’s aurally and visually pleasing, filled with sugar and spice and everything nice. Featuring pacing that’s perfect for a long evening's worth of distraction, it’s akin to a bedtime story that ends right before it overstays its welcome.

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THE GOOD

• Cutesy artstyle combined with an interesting fairy-tale narrative
• Simple puzzle design and rhythm-game mechanics
• Labor of love that makes its message stick

THE BAD

• Relatively short
• Neither complicated nor challenging
• Occasionally buggy

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RATING: 8/10

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