Blue Isle Studios·Released Aug 23, 2016·Single player
Explore the vast and beautiful world of Valley using the power of the L.E.A.F. suit: a fierce exoskeleton that grants exceptional speed and agility along with the phenomenal ability to manipulate the life and death of all living things.
In a games market often trying to operate as either an endless buffet or a sticky-sweet dessert parlour, Valley is a satisfying meal that doesn't outstay its welcome.
Valley is an exciting experience in motion, but its momentum is cut short by the all too brief adventure.
If games like Firewatch, Soma, and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture are referred to as walking simulators, Valley should be called a running simulator.
Valley's heart is most definitely in the right place, and for the most part it succeeds in the execution of its gameplay mechanics. Unfortunately, the game's technical faults can't be ignored. The sloppy framerate in particular damages the experience far too much, and has held back what would otherwise be a great game.
I cautiously recommend checking Valley out regardless, because, dreary exposition, excessive darkness and a cruel and unusual checkpointing system aside, it does what it does with polish and expertise.
Fun, fast, first-person platforming that's spaced too far apart by empty environments and forgettable combat.
