Today I have decided to do a short review/tutorial on a game I found on Steam called Mandagon by Blind Sky Studios. The game is free to download! While it is a short game (I completed it in just under an hour), it is very relaxing, enjoyable, and has a lovely atmosphere.
What Kind of Game Is It?
Mandagon is a 2D side-scrolling platformer inspired by Tibetan theology and philosophy according to its Steam page. You play as a mobile totem in Bardo, which is apparently the Tibetan version of Limbo.
Once you click 'new game', you will be greeted with a flash of whiteness and then appear in the initial stage of the game, which serves as a sort of tutorial level.
Using the 'WASD' keys, you'll have to move around and figure out where you are. You'll have to jump with the 'SPACE BAR' and make your way up to the top of this strange place.
Once there, you find a small hut and use the 'E' key to enter. This will happen several times throughout the game where 'E' will be your action button.
You will then find yourself inside a small room, of which there are many in the world of Mandagon. The only thing to do in this instance is to exit the way you came in.
Once exiting though, you will be greeted with another flash of white and then enter the main area of the game, a strange and beautiful world.
You'll have to then explore and jump across holes much like a typical platformer, although the water will not kill you. You can't jump while underwater.
On your journey, you will come across many totems that present you with information, some simple, some dense and difficult to parse.
There are elevators to assist you along the way.
Some of which require you to activate their energy source, thus giving the game a small amount of puzzle solving as they can be tricky to find at times.
In certain houses like this one and some areas of the world, you will find floating tablets which you must collect to progress through the game.
You'll then have to find which temple the tablets belong to in order to place them.
Each time you place a tablet, a small cutscene will occur and you will be shown this large door. Each tablet activates a part of the door. You have to open the door by finding all tablets and placing them in their temples.
Once you have placed a tablet in its temple, you may use that temple to view the world map. Beyond these main objectives and functions, the game is much like other platformers in the way you progress.
IT'S FREE! You should download it from Steam and give it a try. It's a lovely game that will entertain and relax you and maybe teach you something along the way.
Gameplay: The gameplay is simple and much like any other basic 2D sidescroller. While not complex, for the game I feel that it works because the game is not meant to challenge or frustrate.
Graphics/Art Style: While not graphically intensive, Mandagon offers a unique and interesting art style. The world is beautifully crafted and the animations are vivid.
Music/Atmosphere: The soundtrack and world of Mandagon add up to a relaxing and sobering experience from start to finish. You will find yourself curious and wanting to explore the world and find answers.
I hope this has been informative and enjoyable. Go out and download Mandagon and try some of Blind Sky Studio's other projects.
This is P5ych0path, signing off.
