By Karoline Castillo Troncoso

Developed by Studio Tolima and published by DON’T NOD, Koira is a touching adventure game where players embark upon a trek through an enchanted forest, solve puzzles, encounter enemies, save captured animals, and illuminate paths all alongside a newfound friend, a puppy dog!

The story begins with the introduction of the protagonist, a cat, who emerges from what appears to be a black abyss that engulfs the entire scene, with only two eyes being visible. That is what I saw until walking around onto platforms which are subtly lit with a dim light, bright enough to elucidate the path one shall go. Amidst a full and gloomy ambience, the sight of a frightened puppy intensifies the somber feel. In fear, the little guy runs away. As the cat tries to comfort the puppy and convey a sense of security, they communicate through comforting music. These two species are usually foes, so it was good to see them become friends.

Koira embraces its musical appeal unlike anything I’ve seen in adventure games. There is no present dialogue other than that expressed through music notes, punctuation marks (an exclamation mark symbolizing danger, and a question mark symbolizing confusion), and word bubbles containing images that depict the various objectives. Such an approach is thought-provoking and adds a newfound depth to the world of indie adventures. 

Dark and muted hues convey solemn moods which dominate the Koira’s atmosphere, yet the setting is illuminated when the playful puppy makes an appearance. The game’s musical appeal not only enhances the ambience but also reinforces the setting it portrays. As the plot progresses, so does the difficulty. The game starts off as what seems a relaxing story game — until the cat enters what seems to be uncharted territory with hunters at every corner, barely escaping the snaring grasp of the adversary.

I highly appreciate the fact that death in the game doesn’t immediately result in having to start from scratch, which can be frustrating in a game where you’ve been developing your position in the plot for a while. Instead, after having experienced a fatal blow when encountering the adversary, the protagonist undergoes what appears to be a concussion that lasts merely seconds. After this, one is spawned not too far from the site of fatality. 

Despite the adrenaline-inducing moments during various parts of the game, Koira also offers moments of tranquility where one can take a break from invigorating and intentional gameplay to play a game of hide and seek or to participate in cloud watching with the puppy. Something I found really cool about the hide and seek game was that when it is the puppy’s turn to hide, the player sees an eye-shutting scene, followed by a momentary black screen, during which the puppy hides. If you’re attentive enough, you can see the ruffle of leaves in the bush the puppy hides in, making the seeking pretty easy. When cloud watching, the newfound friends sit on the ledge of a tree house. The clouds that appear resemble either an apple, a stick, a tent, or a dog. 

I’d recommend Koira to players who love story-oriented games, instrumental music, and, well, animals. Seeing the elements come together to create this seamless masterpiece is beautiful. Not only that, but the emotional plotline is one you’ll grow to love and become fully invested in. 

Karoline is our intern from the Bronx’s TapCo school. She won one of our scholarships for writing a one-act play featuring a video game.

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