Pyre

Pyre, the latest from Bastion and Transistor developer Supergiant, is as gorgeous and creative as anything the studio's done—but repetitive.

More showing and less telling could improve the pacing, and the lengthy travel and dialogue sequences have the potential to detract from the thrill of the “fights.” But I’m hesitant to fault that more gradual approach, as Supergiant has once again crafted an unusual and surprising fictional backdrop, and a little extra reading is well worth it for some unchecked originality.

Between that fascinating, open-ended approach to storytelling and its totally unique core gameplay, Supergiant Games pursued a vision for something new with Pyre, and the company has largely succeeded. Fans expecting more of the same may have to fight through some disappointment — especially if they want to be able to more thoroughly explore the nooks and crannies of the Downside. But Pyre makes a worthwhile trade-off here, exchanging the familiar for the fantastical.

“Writers writing about writing.” It's a meta-cliche among, you guessed it, writers. It's a meta-cliche where self-gratification and the imperative to Write What You Know meet and often give each other a clammy handshake. While Pyre is not writers...

From the art to the music to the story to the tactical gameplay, and even to how they're all woven together so artfully, Pyre is an adventure that excels in every area of its design other than limiting its multiplayer to local only. It's an epic journey...

Even the skill trees and the way you can assist your coterie of misfits, the inscrutable language used by the general populace. It is a good game. (I do miss hearing Bastion's Logan Cunningham's voice, though, but somehow, I don't think his basal tones would quite fit the role of the announcer.)

Likewise, you can't help but reflect on your partners in the Downside--those you trained, as well as those you neglected. Supergiant Games has created something special that lives on in your heart. And against great odds, it's invented a sport that could have stood on its own without the story it's attached to--but it's so much better because it is.

Pyre represents another solid effort from Supergiant, as the awe-inspiring world, both in terms of design and depth, coupled with a lovable cast of heroes and villains, continue the studio’s renowned streak for titles with big heart and unique gameplay.