Promised to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers on release day, a first since Stray last July, chia adopts much of the mechanics that are well established in modern open worlds, starting with the ability to climb on any wall, wall or tree without worrying too much about the angle, but keeping the limits in mind of the stamina meter. Facing sloping terrain, chia can also happily glide themselves before flying into the void and deploying the essential glider. Beware though, using the latter also seems to depend on the stamina meter. Suffice to say, we’ll make short work of these great fruits that will increase the young heroine’s overall stamina every time we’re lucky enough to find one in the wild. Driven by a playful spirit, Awaceb also offers some fantasies with a system of acrobatic figures when chia is in the air, without forgetting the possibility of having a nice swim by jumping into the water.
Orienteering
Awaceb has equipped his game with a map with many points of interest and the ability to place his own markers. Slight deviation from the norms, however, the position of the player on the named map is not indicated, to encourage observation and make discoveries more fun. A push on the left joystick still makes it possible to determine the radius in which chia is, but the player will have every interest in getting his bearings thanks to the panels that are everywhere. We’re still a long way from the radicalism of a WiLD that claimed to want the player to go into its open world without any map so that it could orient itself by relying on the environment’s landmarks, but Awaceb already seems like a real small risk in compared to other open worlds. Let’s add that given the playing surface to be covered, there is of course a fast travel system available in the form of docks.
The second part of the video focuses on soul jumping, the central mechanics of the game that allow the heroine to take control of dozens of animals and objects in her vicinity. In battle, chia for example, can take possession of an object and project it at an enemy as it resumes its shape. Owning animals is of course interesting to explore, especially since the fauna includes flying and aquatic animals, each with a specific skill (the crab can squeeze, the dog digs, the cat can see in the dark and the bird… to defecate) . Similar to stamina, the soul jump meter wins slots by consuming the right fruits. chia will be available on March 21st on PS5, PS4 and PC.
