Pyre | Ecency

Pyre is a party-based RPG from the creators of Bastion and Transistor. Lead your band of exiles to freedom through a series of mystical competitions in the Campaign, or challenge a friend to a fast-paced ritual showdown in the head-to-head Versus Mode.

Something I believe I should note right off the bat is that Pyre is not a game that will appeal to everyone. Even if you're a fan of other Supergiant games, do your research before you buy this game. That doesn't mean Pyre is bad. No, it's the direct opposite of that. However, compared to their other games, this one might be harder for some to enjoy due to its heavy visual novel elements.

Graphics

By Supergiant standards, this is the best they've done in the visual department. While all of their games look great, this one was eye candy from start to finish. All of the different areas really set the tone, and the character designs are extremely diverse and unique. There isn't much to say here, but there isn't anything about the graphics I can fault. I don't think there's any way they could've done it better, because the game is absolutely gorgeous to look at.

Gameplay

Pyre's weakest aspect is its gameplay, however it's not bad at all. At worst, there was a lot of missed potential, but at best, you have an extremely interesting and unique take on football/basketball. There's no denying that Pyre's gameplay is extremely unique, and it's extremely fun. It's not completely polished, as certain characters like Ti'zo and Fae/Dae/Bae/etc. are ridiculously OP, but the concept is there and it works. I loved experimenting with the different playable exiles and adapting to the fairly dynamic (and constantly exciting) Rites, and the game encourages flexibility. That being said, the Rites themselves don't actually get all that interesting until about 1/3 of your way into the game, where more gameplay options are provided to you. It's quite understandable if you find yourself slogging through the first part of the game. But once you get passed that, the gameplay becomes far more complex and interesting. Also, it's important for me to mention, this game has awesome online multiplayer potential. I was surprised to hear this game didn't have online multiplayer, because the Rites are very enjoyable once you get through the beginning stages. Overall, the gameplay's still good, but definitely where Pyre falls short.

Story

Pyre's story made me feel a wide range of emotions. At some points, I was getting teary-eyed, and at other times I was audibly yelling at my monitor in excitement. It felt like a real journey, and it was so fascinating to watch all of these problems unfold and see how the characters respond to it. But that's where Pyre is at its best - the characters. I loved every single one of them. Every single Nightwing who joins you is fleshed out and three-dimensional, you can tell plenty of time and care was put into making them lovable. One thing I also liked is that the game did take certain character clichés and flip them on their heads, one example being my favorite character, Rukey. The way he's portrayed at first gives you the vibe that he's going to be a shady, self-centered, and annoying prick who will want to make you bash your head into a wall. Instead, without getting too much into spoilers (but I'll censor it anyway just in case), Anti-trends like this are pretty common with all of the characters, and it made me love everyone, even the exiles you face off against. Pyre is probably one of the most deep and open-ended games I've ever played, with there being a ridiculous amount of lore and ways for the game to play out. It's definitely going to overwhelm some, but if you power through it, you will find that this game is very immersive and keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Audio

Supergiant games have always had a great soundtrack to back them up, but they went above and beyond with this game. Each piece feels different and fits their intended tone. There wasn't a single piece that felt out of place. The songs with vocals, however, were the highlights. Darren Korb and Ashley Barrett have beautiful voices, and every time they sang, I got goosebumps. While some might be disappointed by the lack of Logan Cunningham's normal narrator voice, but the one they had for this game fit the theme a lot better in my opinion and I was perfectly fine with him. This game's narrator especially got more entertaining as the game progresses, although explaining why would lead to spoilers. To conclude, just like the game's story and visuals, I can't find anything to fault here.

Replayability

The amount of replayability in this game surprised me. There's a LOT of different outcomes to the game, and with the incredible story, I'm considering going through it again just to see what other interactions I can find between the charming ensemble of exiles. It's a shame that the game doesn't have online multiplayer, though, otherwise I would be even more hooked on this game than I already am.

Verdict

Although Pyre is most certainly unique and an incredible experience, I think a good game that it can be compared to is Undertale. While Pyre isn't a 10/10 game and some people will find the visual novel aspects tedious, both games have extremely well developed characters, an amazing storyline from start to end, and soundtracks where every single song is enjoyable in their own way. Supergiant has given us yet another high quality game, and if it appeals to you, dear Reader, you will be more than satisfied with this incredibly brilliant and enthralling emotional rollercoaster.

Graphics - 10/10
Gameplay - 7.5/10
Story - 10/10
Audio - 10/10
Replayability - 8.0/10

PERSONAL PICK

.:9.1/10:.
"Amazing"