Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always loved all sorts of different 3D platformer games. When Scarf entered the scene, the enchanting art style immediately caught my attention, before I even had a chance to read anything about it. Developed by Uprising Studios and produced by HandyGames, Scarf runs for $14.99 on Steam.
PLOT
The plot can be a little hard to keep up with at some points. Not because it’s a bad story, but because the game follows a similar narrative to many modern video games – players adopt the role of a character, and they must go through the story in order to find out who they are, and why they have accepted this role.
The game begins with our protagonist encountering a mysterious, red scarf. We quickly learn that this scarf embodies a dragon who has lost their mother to a band of invaders, and our character takes it upon themselves to traverse three different worlds, truly learning what it means to be a hero.
GAMEPLAY
Scarf’s gameplay is simple, and not particularly innovative. That being said, it’s a relaxing, non-combative puzzle platformer down to its very core. Each of the worlds explored exhibit their own geographical theme with a variety of puzzles. While the mechanics themselves start out bare-boned and almost plain, they start to expand as the player advances in the game, allowing the scarf to assist us even more.
PROS
The visuals alone are a sight to behold, catching the players’ attention and enticing them to explore the world for the views alone.
The atmospheric music and ambient noise in the background add to the peaceful factor, adapting to the ever changing environment.
Because of the overall calming factor, there doesn’t feel to be any rush to play and complete the game. It also only takes a few hours to finish, with an ending determined by your own exploration, which makes it simple to grab a blanket, a cup of your favorite tea, and sit down at your desk to play for a bit of time to unwind.
CONS
If the storyline had been just a little more fleshed out, this game could’ve been pretty solid. Unfortunately, it reads to me that while we learn the main premise at the beginning of the game, the creators left it vague from that point out, giving the idea that they couldn’t quite decide between “straightforward and easy to follow,” or “mysterious plot to discover.”
VERDICT
Overall, Scarf is a decent game, with a real value for our cozy gamers out there. However, if you’re looking for something with more of a challenge or an in-depth storyline, maybe look elsewhere.
