White Shadows Review (PC): Of Wolves And Ravens

The first thoughts of White Shadows revolved around German expressionism, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Metropolis. They’re both pertinent to the aesthetics – not just the monochrome factor but also the title cards. However, you want a game review, not some arty-farty assessment, right? 

Those references might chuff Monokel – they’re well deserved as the presentation is wunderbar. In contrast, the gaming perspective is Inside mixed with Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee. There’s zero prelude other than what we know from the blurb. You play as Ravengirl, desperate to escape the clutches of an oppressive regime – a ‘them and us’ scenario.

White Shadows is dark, claustrophobic and bleak, but that’s all in the design. There’s no handholding whatsoever – not even a crumb of ‘press A to…’. You have to find out everything yourself from the not so apparent paths, to how to lift a porthole to access a pathway hidden in the shadows. The only visual clues in these darkest areas are Ravengirl’s illuminated eyes or her temporary followers shielding her from the murkiness.

If you’ve played Inside, you’re in familiar territory. It’s a side-scrolling experience of moving left and right, jumping and interacting with puzzles and dragging objects to reach new areas. The opening chapters (there are five in total) didn’t offer much in threat other than the crushing authority in the air. Using film as a reference point once more, it’s that adage of absence creates presence.

Alas, I was a little disappointed with the game at first. My first beef was how floaty it feels to jump and how there’s no aftertouch when in the air/falling, but I don’t know… ‘raven’ insinuates flight, so it might be appropriate. Another minor issue was the lack of ambient sounds other than mechanical devices. When Flight of the Bumblebee kicked in, it was well worth the wait and worked perfectly, as did the rest of the classical pieces. I just wish there wasn’t such a lull.

Though a handful of the puzzles were a minor challenge for my peanut-sized brain – knowing what to do, rather than the how, White Shadows gameplay was easy. That needn’t be a negative, as you know you’ll be able to see it through to the end, but other than one boss-like scenario, it was pretty much a case of holding left or right, then jumping at the right moment.

Directing that more into a positive spin, the lack of challenge allowed ample time to admire the scenery. White Shadows is one of the best looking environments I’ve witnessed in a game, and the ‘lack of colour further highlights that’. The use of monochrome is my thing (did you read the film references at the beginning?), which further adds depth to the shadows. Complimented by some stylish lighting, the experience was flawless.

If you’ve read more than one review on this site, you’ll know I tend to be on the positive side of the spectrum with my critiques and seldom report bugs if it’s likely they’ll be fixed upon release. While there are a couple due to be ironed out in the coming days, there was one moment where I was respawning to my death. A quick reload of a checkpoint, and it was sorted. No big deal at all.

As for the rest of the story and what happens in White Shadows, I’ll leave that to you, but using one of the quotes in the game of ‘All animals are equal’ reminds me of Orwell’s Animal Farm. On the surface, the game doesn’t go into intricate detail, but the game covers some weighty themes, so any of you intellectual types will have a field day. Not me.

So, is White Shadows worth it? In short, yes. Visually this is what some people could call a masterpiece. While it lacks the challenge of its counterpart Inside, it’s a ride well worth getting on and returning to clean up the achievements if that’s what makes you tick. It took me around 2 hours and 30 minutes to finish. It’s short, so be aware of that. Overall, it gets a thumbs up from me.