Unique Platformer ‘Ecotone’ Gets an In-Browser Demo

Ecotone is a game from Sundae Factory which actively seeks to be different.

which actively seeks to be different. Be it the unusual dark storybook visual style, the ambient, understated and unsettling nature of the soundtrack, or the dreamlike atmosphere, this is a game that doesn’t wish to run with the pack. For some of you, I am aware, simply knowing this fact is making you lose interest. Indeed, there are many gamers who are more puristic in their views of video games, and reject indie developers’ predilection for the avant-garde as nothing more than pretension. However, based on the playable alpha demo, Ecotone’s strengths are more than merely skin-deep.

The quality of the game’s artwork is immediately striking. As I touched upon earlier, the game world really does look like a storybook turned sinister, with the player character isolated against a starry backdrop in a world filled with peering eyes. In fact, with its dream-like quality, unique use of ambient sound and puzzle platforming gameplay, the game which Ecotone reminded me most of was Limbo . Both games excel at implying their stories rather than explicitly stating them, and for making you empathize with their protagonists despite their basic, largely faceless design.

Possibly the most effective and unique element of Ecotone is the way in which every new screen is introduced with a sentence. These sentences can relate to the introduction of a new mechanic, provide a snippet of insight into the mysterious protagonist, or often both. An early example is ‘I think I had a Brother…’ On this screen, your input controls not only the player character, but also his ghostly parallel who stands on a platform above. Your goal is to deliver both safely to the other side. This is a good example of how the system works, and it’s a novel way of introducing new mechanics and interspersing narrative elements into the game. Personally, I find this to be a really interesting hook for the game, and it makes you want to play on for the next drop of text-based character development.

Having greatly enjoyed Christopher Whitman’sa primarily platform-based game with a heavy focus on narrative and poetic language, I welcome more conceptual platformers with open arms. After all, in a genre this saturated your game really does need to do something different, and find its voice to stand out. Refreshingly, Sundae Factory have proven themselves willing to go out on a limb with Ecotone , and to deliver a new experience to their players.

Ecotone is coming soon to PC and Mac, but in the meantime you can grab a taste of the playable alpha build in your browser. If you’re taken with Sundae Factory ‘s intriguing vision, you can back them on Steam Greenlight, or follow the official Ecotone Twitter account