- Pronouns
- He/Him
I have been eyeing this game since its debut on Switch due to its beautiful hand-drawn arts and an intriguing setting, but I forgot it in my wish list for a while. Eventually I got it on eShop earlier this year during a sale event. And I have to say that Where the Water Taste Like Wine (WtWTLW) is one of the most interesting title I have ever played. The gameplay loop is peculiar (slow and clunky sometimes) but it will shine very brightly under a suitably peculiar approach: bit by bit play sessions before bedtime. A more familiar title I have approached in the same way is Octopath Traveler - both share the same way stories are presented to the players: as fragmented slice-of-life chapters.
Back to WtWTLW, you play as a cursed soul under a devil contract, and your mission is going around US collecting and spreading stories. Once you get a right approach to play the game, it will open you up to a deep dive into a historical period of the US via urban legends, story tidbits and a wide cast of main characters, all of which are told through mesmerizing hand-drawn pictures like a story book and an abstract 3D world representing the US map.
At the beginning, the picture seems lively and colorful, yet overtime it reveals dark corners of the history: racism, harsh workers' conditions, economic downturns, family abuse, ethnic suppression and so on. In addition, beautiful visuals in this game are accompanied with equally stunning soundtracks by Ryan Ike: a mix of country and various sub-genres matching the moods and backstories of 16 main characters in the game.
At the end, the title of this game is a premonition of what it tries to deliver: urban legends built on a historical foundation, to which the players also have an active role in mysterfying them further as they spread stories across the nation. It is a perfect game for players which are also avid readers looking for something to chew on before bedtime (for real, my sleep schedule got masssively improved ever since I started to play WtWTLW before bedtime thanks to the warm colorful visual and the soothing soundtracks lol). I hope that you will give this game a try and enjoy the emotional moments and memories on your journey to find the eden, "where the water tastes like wine"
Back to WtWTLW, you play as a cursed soul under a devil contract, and your mission is going around US collecting and spreading stories. Once you get a right approach to play the game, it will open you up to a deep dive into a historical period of the US via urban legends, story tidbits and a wide cast of main characters, all of which are told through mesmerizing hand-drawn pictures like a story book and an abstract 3D world representing the US map.
Throughout the game, you will travel around the US and collect hundreds of mini-story and meet 16 different main characters each with their own background, story and each represents a different mood. You interact with these characters via camping, sharing stories you have collected and listen to their stories in return. Each character will only reveal their story individually, but when you experience all of them plus the mini-story, what you will get is a giant picture depicting different aspects of the Great Depression.
At the beginning, the picture seems lively and colorful, yet overtime it reveals dark corners of the history: racism, harsh workers' conditions, economic downturns, family abuse, ethnic suppression and so on. In addition, beautiful visuals in this game are accompanied with equally stunning soundtracks by Ryan Ike: a mix of country and various sub-genres matching the moods and backstories of 16 main characters in the game.
At the end, the title of this game is a premonition of what it tries to deliver: urban legends built on a historical foundation, to which the players also have an active role in mysterfying them further as they spread stories across the nation. It is a perfect game for players which are also avid readers looking for something to chew on before bedtime (for real, my sleep schedule got masssively improved ever since I started to play WtWTLW before bedtime thanks to the warm colorful visual and the soothing soundtracks lol). I hope that you will give this game a try and enjoy the emotional moments and memories on your journey to find the eden, "where the water tastes like wine"
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