A Glitching Journey Through 1970s San Francisco
There is nothing cooler than San Francisco. Iconic bridges, the Summer of Love, those vertical hills, and, of course, the cable cars. Many films and TV series have used the great American city as their backdrop over the decades. Games have got in on the act as well, with Driver and Watch Dogs 2 being among the best.
I don’t think many games have been set in the city during the 1970s, though, and it feels like a perfect fit. Yerba Buena does exactly that, mixing an RPG with a Portal-like physics puzzle game. What could go wrong?
In case you didn’t know, Yerba Buena is the Spanish name for a collection of aromatic plants in the mint family. More importantly, it was the name of a Mexican settlement in the San Francisco region before the city became San Francisco, and it is now a region of the city.
An Unusual Story Set Beneath The Golden Gate
Set in the 1970s, this story follows a young hero named Barb, who is between jobs. In this version of San Francisco, everything seems to be glitching. Doorways are blocked by glitched objects, and there are even people frozen in strange positions. At the start of the game, Barb gets a lift from her taxi driver friend, Russell. During the journey, they are carjacked, Barb is thrown from the vehicle, and Russell is kidnapped. Following the crash, Barb discovers a mysterious briefcase. Inside is a strange object called an Oscillator. After showing it to her friends at the local convenience store, she is suddenly transported to a training room where she learns about its special powers. Can she rescue her friend?
The story and its characters are entertaining throughout, with some nice comedy and a cartoon-like world. It’s a game that never takes itself too seriously and is filled with witty dialogue and enjoyable writing. There is also a plot involving a hippie property developer building a TV tower, which is somehow connected to the strange happenings. I won’t say any more for fear of spoilers, but I really enjoyed spending time with both this world and its inhabitants.
The Oscillator Is A Brilliant Puzzle Mechanic
Gameplay is, at its heart, that of a story-driven puzzle game, and Portal is a fair comparison. The standout mechanic is the Oscillator. What does it do? It allows you to scan and copy the movement of anything in motion, then paste that movement onto a glitched object, building, or vehicle, causing it to mimic the same behaviour.
For example, if a glitched building is blocking a doorway, you can go out into the street, copy the movement of a passing car travelling from left to right, then paste that motion onto the building. Suddenly, the building slides out of the way. The same idea applies to moving platforms, rotating objects, and other environmental puzzles. It’s a very clever mechanic that creates interesting routes through each level and opens up some satisfying platforming opportunities.
As you progress through the story, more abilities are added to the Oscillator, such as copying gaseous forms and making the paste item invisible. Solving the puzzles is a lot of fun, although they become increasingly complicated as the game goes on. The platforming sections are fine, but they can be a little frustrating at times and aren’t the strongest part of the experience. The real star here is the Oscillator, and that’s where the game truly shines.
Capturing The Spirit Of The 1970s
Visually, the game reminded me a lot of Telltale’s games, particularly The Walking Dead. It has a lovely hand-drawn style and captures the feel of the 1970s brilliantly. The cut-and-paste mechanics are represented well visually too, with only a few rough edges here and there. There are perhaps a few too many loading screens, but that’s only a minor criticism. The soundtrack and sound effects are both good, while the voice cast does a tremendous job of bringing the characters to life.
A Clever Puzzle Adventure With Plenty Of Charm
I love the 1970s setting, the original story, and the clever way the Oscillator allows you to reshape the environment around you in Yerba Buena. The visuals are strong, and the voice acting is excellent. I did find the game a little rough around the edges in places though, and the platforming isn’t always as enjoyable as the puzzle-solving.
But I had a good time throughout, and the puzzles remained challenging in all the right ways. So head on down to Yerba Buena and see what it has to offer.
Important Links
Yerba Buena – Portal By Way Of 1970s San Francisco? – https://www.thexboxhub.com/yerba-buena-portal-by-way-of-1970s-san-francisco/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/yerba-buena/9NS2M6Z9RNRT/0010
