Knytt Stories

From the many video game blogs I keep up with, I occasionally see points of convergence, beyond reporting on exactly the same news stories and big events. Recently, I saw several blogs professing their undying love for a little indie game called Knytt Stories, which was recently released. Created by Nifflas, Knytt Stories is quite unique, at least in my experience.

How to describe it...Knytt Stories comes with 1 main story, 4 additional official stories, and several 3rd party stories that have already been created. How have they been created? By the included level editor, of course! The gameplay is very simple. You basically can only run and jump. There are some enemies, but all you can do is avoid them. Knytt Stories is much more focused on exploration, atmosphere, and style, rather than combat or action. Throughout each adventure, you'll run across several power ups, including a double jump, an umbrella to slow your falls, and a holographic projector to distract enemies. Despite the apparent lack of action, this game is extremely addicting. It's very simple, and I think the simplicity really works well with its pick-up-and-play sensibilities. It's too easy to keep wanting to explore just 1 more screen, 1 more screen. And suddenly, an hour has passed, and you forgot to get up and go to the bathroom...

Knytt Stories is quirky, entertaining, and mostly unique. It's well worth the price of admission: FREE. Check it out now. I've finished the first story, and am well into the 2nd. I can't recommend this game highly enough. Just be prepared for a different kind of game experience.