Release Date: 29/07/2016
Played On: Win
Available On: Mac / Win
Time Played: 36m
Progress: Single Playthrough
Developer: MassDiGI
Publisher: MassDiGI
It feels a bit hypocritical to be writing this post after taking Laraan to task last time over its validity as a complete product. However, I'm going to try and justify why I think the tiny project Ophidia is a genuine and worthwhile purchase, despite its obvious limitations. This logic might get curly and take some getting used to.
I joke, but at the same time I accept the contradictions that might exist between Ophidia and Laraan. If you want to know why I'm bringing it up, then go read the previous post and see why I didn't think Laraan was worthy of being on sale. Then come back here and hopefully I can explain why I think Ophidia earned its place.
Ophidia is a very simple game, which basically feels like playing snake on a beautifully illustrated board. The main gameplay loop is that you control a snake that slithers around a handful of different levels, eating other animals along the way to grow large enough to eat each level's boss.
Consuming a bug or animal is as simple as surrounding it with your snake body until you're able to eat your tail. Anything trapped inside the circle gets consumed and your snake grows a little longer, giving you the ability to surround and consume larger prey. Controlling the snake is as simple as clicking and dragging around the screen, as the snake will follow your input accordingly. It's no surprise that this started life as a touch/mobile game, but the controls work either way and are easy enough to get used to.
What really stood out for me in Ophidia is the art that seems to drive each and every level. There's something about it being based on Norse mythology and that you're playing as the world-eater serpent that will cleanse something or other. To be honest, I didn't feel the need to pay attention to the lore here, as I was happy enough looking at the pretty pictures and eating little animals.
I guess that's why I liken it to something like Laraan, which only ended up frustrating me. Ophidia is similar in its scope, being that it's short and small, but it remains to be infinitely more satisfying. There are multiple ways to play, including a timed mode and an endless mode, which successfully prolongs the potential amount of time you can spend with the game. What's more, it encourages you to do so, as the entire structure is very friendly to short bursts of play, no doubt something that came from its inception as a mobile game.
However, I never felt like my time was being wasted, or that I was fighting the game for control or purpose. Throughout each level there is a clear goal, along with clear methods of how to attain that goal. The challenge is increased through each level, as bosses and other lifeforms will eventually fight back and remove segments from your snake. At times you can get into a bit of cat and mouse tactics, as you try and circle an animal that is actively reaching out to hurt you.
Ophidia is compelling and doesn't overstay its welcome. There isn't a lot to the gameplay, but just as I was having my fill, I reached the final boss and finished every level. In a way it's a perfect little bite-sized snack of a game, especially if the art gets your attention, as it quickly became my favourite thing about the game overall.
Unlike something conceptual like Laraan, Ophidia presents itself as a complete product that has a defined set of parameters marking its boundaries. It doesn't matter if its lore is enticing, or if the gameplay loop is short-lived. What matters is that this is a successfully realised vision that plays well and has had its scuff marks gently buffed out. I didn't encounter any janky mechanics or interactions, and everything made sense in an iterative and progressive manner.
Of course, Ophidia exists in that bracket that will always inspire discussion over the value of a short little game compared to others in the same category. However, I feel like I got my money's worth with this one, even though I later discovered that you can pay-what-you-want for the game on the developer's web site.
I do consider time to be money when it comes to entertainment, but it often works in favour of small games, rather than against them. If I get an hour or two's enjoyment out of five dollars, I feel like I'm onto a winner, as I think of it as less than a pizza split between friends. Of course, spending time with friends is probably of greater value, but the pizza never feeds my soul as much as creative games.
Thankfully Ophidia is one that feels like it's worth the asking price, even if it's just to spend some time with the beautiful art. I'd happily explore aesthetically pleasing landscapes for five bucks a pop, so long as I'm not left wondering why they exist in the first place.
Maybe I didn't go so hard on why Ophidia beats Laraan in the validity stakes, but I feel like it should be pretty obvious. I mean, Ophidia is a fully realised vision that has been constructed and polished to a completed entertainment product…