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We all have different requirements when it comes to video games.
Whether that is the story needing to be engaging, the combat fun, or the characters loveable, there's an element in video games that entices each of us more so than the others.
For me, it’s animal companions.
If a game has an animal companion, I am already sold and from the moment I boot up the game, it becomes my sole mission to protect them with my life.
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So when I was asked if I would like to play Koira, one peek at the synopsis told me all I needed to know.
“Save a puppy and embark on a heartwarming, hand-drawn adventure together. Journey to the heart of an enchanted forest, solving puzzles and avoiding hunters to protect your newfound friend," it read.
Developed by Studio Tolima and published by DON’T NOD, Koira is a story-rich adventure game where you will need to travel through harsh environments with your new puppy companion.
Along the way, you will meet other animal companions who will help you out but with a hungry puppy to feed, you will need to navigate a series of obstacles and puzzles in order to keep them alive against a snowy landscape.
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With hazy purple environments broken up with sunbeams breaking through the trees and onto our snowy scenes, our travelling companions are mere silhouettes who rely on music to make their way through a beautiful yet deadly world.
Musical notes come to life and act as a way to solve the various puzzles around the world with the answer often rewarding us with fruit for our puppy or opening the way forward.
It can also calm animal friends we meet along the way such as a family of mushroom-like creatures and a herd of boars who have been separated from each other by the hungry hunters.
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No matter how beautiful this world may seem, it is plagued by humans who, much like real life, seek to hunt the harmless creatures and inhabit their land.
It is up to us to stop them by relying on stealth and tricks to sneak by them and bring back balance.
It was these stealth moments that became a problem for me. Not because they are badly designed but more so as I am famous for sucking at stealth sections of games.
However, in Koira, you take on the role of an unknown animal so it makes sense that humans will always have the upper hand here, especially as they are armed with guns and vicious dogs.
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On the other hand, the puzzles were a breeze to solve and although they may be too simple for some, they suited me just fine.
I enjoyed the puzzles, which gave me an excuse to explore the land and make use of the environment by throwing sticks or snowballs to activate items hidden amongst the treetops.
It is also this environment which you can use to entertain your companion.
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You can climb to the highest peaks and watch the clouds together, finding shapes in the clouds and matching them with the friends you have made along the way.
You can also gather snowballs, carrots, and hats to build snowmen together or play hide and seek in the foliage and chase each other through snow-capped forests, sliding on ice and landing in nearby flower beds.
You can get achievements for throwing a stick for your puppy or putting flowers or hats in their hair and when you are not feeding them or rescuing them from traps that their curiosity has led them to, they will help you just as much.
Faced with the threat from the hunters and the injustice caused to the animals you meet along the way, your anger will manifest into powers which may repel the evil forces but will also come at the expense of yourself and your own humanity.
As a result, your pet will be there to calm you down by sharing a bench and a tune with you and making you realise that you don’t have to become a monster to beat the monsters.
It is these quiet moments throughout Koira that make this game a beautiful narrative adventure, even more so than all of the adventures, puzzles, and threats.
With the travelling pair unable to use words, they rely on music to find each other, help each other, and ground each other.
The power of music also allows your companion to dispel the darkness and clear the way forward for you (as long as they are well fed too, of course).
So much emotion is found throughout Koira thanks to its beautiful soundtrack, musical cues, use of colours, and environmental storytelling and as a result, the game stands amongst the greats in the genre such as Gris and Neva.
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Ultimately, Koira is a game for the cosy-genre lovers as it may not offer intense combat, engaging voice acting or a bustling open-world, but it does provide a heartwarming narrative adventure that explores the bonds we are capable of and showcases the beauty of the world we find ourselves a part of for a limited time.
Pros: Beautiful narrative adventure and visuals
Cons: Some stealth segments can be frustrating
For fans of: Gris, Neva
9/10: Exceptional
Koira is available now for PC (tested on Steam) and PlayStation 5. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.