Nihilumbra, a very personal adventure about the meaning of life

 

Nihilumbra is the indie game we are going to talk about today and it was released by BeautiFun Games on iOS on June 27, 2012, later arriving on Android, PC, Wii U, PS Vita and more recently Nintendo Switch, which we are going to analyze, it has not reached other desktop consoles such as PS4 or Xbox One because they do not have any type of touch screen so it is only available on those platforms. Today we review this interesting game.

The story begins with us, a being from the Void, emerging from it to see the world while the narrator tells us not to. Afterward, we transform into a scarecrow to feel more at home. We encounter a strange blue flower that gives us powers to freeze the ground and make it slippery, as well as giving us the color we didn't have before, since we are a dark being. Monsters from the Void will gradually appear in the world, and then the Void will try to trap us. We'll try to escape, but this place, to show us that we're not as strong as we think it is, will swallow the Frozen Mountains where we appeared. After this, we'll have to live adventures in the Living Forest, the Ash Desert, the Volcano, and The City, trying to find the meaning of our existence while finding new colors and fleeing while the Void sends monsters and swallows entire places. 

This is a beautiful journey about how an empty being, devoid of personality, can regain feelings and a personality of its own at the end, fleeing from its worst nightmare while simultaneously seeing a world it's never seen before. The narrator acts as the protagonist's subconscious and makes us rethink what we're doing.

The gameplay of this game is pure platforming but it is very interesting, since we have 5 powers (given by the colored flowers that I told you about at the beginning) and each one serves to paint the floor or walls a color. The blue color will make the floor slip, the green color will make the floor or walls bounce, the brown color will make everything become sticky, the red color will make everything near it burn and the yellow color will conduct electricity, all of this will work thanks to the touch screen or in the case of the PC thanks to the mouse since with it we can paint the stage with colors, which is why the game has not arrived on consoles like PS4 and Xbox One.

The game's graphics are quite simple yet beautiful, reminding us that not everything has to be complicated to be good, although simplicity takes over much of the graphics, especially in the cinematics. On the other hand, the music stands out for its simplicity but is quite strong at the same time and connects very well with the game.

Is Nihilumbra worth getting? Absolutely. The game takes us through the story of a being born from darkness until it becomes a real being, with personality, color, and feelings. On the other hand, the platforming levels are very well done, and painting and changing colors on the touch screen to perform different functions is never tiring at all. The graphics and music immerse you in this simple yet complex world, making the game very enjoyable and, above all, personal. Nihilumbra is the game that takes you through the evolution of the life of a being created from nothing, a newborn. 

It's now available on Android, iOS, PC, Wii U, PS4, PS Vita, PS5 and Nintendo Switch for just €4. I don't know what you're waiting for to buy it.

Worst parts of the game

• There are times when the difficulty is very high.
• The short duration can be a turn-off.

Best parts of the game

• The narrative takes us magnificently through what it means to be alive and have thoughts while the world decides who we are.
• The gameplay with colors is incredibly complex but very unique.
• The use of the touchscreen in handheld mode in the Switch version is unique and reminiscent of Wii U games.
• The art design conveys the same message as its narrative.
• The soundtrack is beautiful.

Score

8