A Journey Through A World Of Impossible Dreams
I sometimes dream that I’m wandering around cities at night, walking for what feels like hours. But these aren’t normal places. They’re strange architectural behemoths where logic and budgets seem to have been thrown out of the window, with vast landscapes of structures stretching endlessly towards the horizon. Usually, I wake up after a few minutes of wandering, but it’s a place I return to quite often in my dreams, and it always leaves me perplexed.
So it was with great surprise that playing BLACKSHARD reminded me of being in those dreamscapes. This is a world of impossible structures and unfathomable stories. Now, I need to wake up and review this unique game.
French developers Redlock Studios have previously released games set in their Maze Chronicles universe. The other games, which I haven’t played, are much more action-oriented RPGs, while BLACKSHARD is closer to a visual walking simulator. There are elements of familiar storytelling motifs running through the series, including strange, forgotten gods, megastructures and a kind of metaphysical reality. It’s a world that feels impossible to grasp, yet remains utterly fascinating.
A Mysterious Story That Leaves You Searching For Answers
Who you are and what you’re looking for remain a mystery. You wake up in a strange place, surrounded by bones, before setting off into a vast labyrinth. Some paths lead to new locations, while others take you into conversations and memories left behind by those who have walked this route before you.
In a strange way, it reminded me of Elden Ring. There are moments when I come across things or dialogue that I struggle to decipher, leaving me unsure of what’s happening or what’s being said. Yet I’m still enjoying myself. BLACKSHARD also has long stretches of silence, where the environment does all the storytelling. Who built that? Why is it there? These are questions you may never find answers to, but that doesn’t really matter.
Exploring The Labyrinths Of BLACKSHARD
The gameplay is closer to a walking simulator than anything particularly action-heavy. You can walk, pick up the pace, jump and interact with items or characters you encounter along the way. You can also die, usually by falling off the edge of something and plummeting into oblivion. But even that can take you somewhere unexpected, revealing another world within a world. I won’t say any more, as that would spoil the fun.
Played in first person, BLACKSHARD invites you to take in the world and decide which direction to explore. One path leads to another, and before long, you have to settle into the idea that the journey matters more than the destination.
Scattered throughout the game are markers in the form of strange altars that you can activate as save points. If you die or find yourself hopelessly lost, you can press a button to return to one of the last altars you activated. It’s a useful safety net in a game where getting lost is very much part of the experience.
You can also free these things called Signs, which affect the world as you move through it. The lighting changes, trees spring up from nowhere, and the environment shifts into something even more dreamlike. It’s possible to reach an ending without actively looking for it There are five different endings to discover, and if you enjoy simply being in this world, you’ll probably want to find them all.
That said, I can understand why BLACKSHARD won’t be for everyone. The apparent lack of a purpose might put some players off within the first 20 minutes. The strange, twisting narrative could also prove a step too far for some, so consider yourself warned.
Stunning Visuals And A Haunting Soundtrack
Visually, the game is a masterpiece of design. It reminded me not only of my dreams but also of the work of futurist Syd Mead, who worked on the film Blade Runner. BLACKSHARD’s visuals are more fantasy-inspired than industrial, but the enormous buildings and imposing structures brought his drawings and designs to mind. It’s a beautiful, frightening place to explore, and the game runs smoothly on Xbox Series X without any frame drops.
The audio is equally strong, with an amazing, trance-like soundtrack. There’s voice work too, and it’s appropriately strange, matching the game’s enigmatic narrative.
BLACKSHARD Is A Beautifully Obscure Experience
I like games that don’t lay all the answers out in front of me. I like games that make me ask questions and pull at the threads of a narrative in an attempt to unravel it. I don’t think I ever truly unravelled BLACKSHARD’s story, but I thoroughly enjoyed trying.
The gameplay is calming and thoughtful, and at times, frighteningly beautiful. I do think, though, that this is a very niche experience that will be too obscure for a lot of people. But if you’re willing to take a chance, I’d encourage you to wander the mazes of BLACKSHARD.
Important Links
Something Is Waiting In The Labyrinth – BLACKSHARD Is On Xbox And PlayStation – https://www.thexboxhub.com/something-is-waiting-in-the-labyrinth-blackshard-is-on-xbox-and-playstation/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/blackshard/9pn2z0n9fphq
