Fe is an action-adventure title by Zoink and the first in the EA Originals series promoting indie titles. It was released worldwide on February 16th across many platforms. The game is very bright and focuses on the relationships in nature. You control a forest creature, who relies on communicating melodically with fellow creatures in the area. This game received quite a substantial amount of hype, so how did it fare?

Story

The developers don’t give you much to go on. You are free to run and explore and interact at your pace. You are a forest creature free to look around. However, the game is filled with enemies and they are known as the Silent Ones. They are giant robot Cyclops that trail you and turn you into rock balls. Without much to go on, you can tell that they are different from everything else you’ve encountered so far. They don’t hesitate to stop you. You will traverse through the world all while saving various plants and animals. This is the kind of game where the story can be what you imagine it to be. Sometimes, that can be a lot of fun.

Gameplay

The controls and gameplay are very “hands-off” and quite simple. You explore, communicate, and jump freely. Throughout, you can acquire communication abilities to solve puzzles and complete quests. You can climb trees to reach new areas as well. The Silent Ones will entrap your forest friends, and you have the ability set them free with the help of other friends. The game has a beautiful message about the interconnectivity of the forest. You can’t complete this game on your own; you must utilize your environment. Interacting with new creatures will also provide you with new songs and help you reach new area. When in doubt follow the deer or birds.

Graphics & Sound

The background music and overall ambiance are really beautiful. The music puts you in a truly ethereal environment. The singing sound can sometimes be a bit cringy, but it works for the most part. The environment is very surreal, but it works well. The textures in the game are beautiful. I am big fan of the use of color, and the shades of purple filling the world. The game is an open-world 3D title that harks back to the exploration days of the Nintendo 64. The graphics are much more polished, but the adventure is still there. Sometimes the design of the game can make it hard to know where you’re going. Overall, Fe runs very smoothly.

Entertainment

At first, I was not impressed with this title. Initially it did not capture my attention or my imagination. I had a hard timing staying focused on the gameplay. After several attempts, I finally sat down with this game without any expectations and just searched around. If you are looking for immediate or even constant gratification then this may not be the game for you. If you are looking to enjoy another world for a while, then you will probably like it. I don’t see much replayability in this game though. I feel like once you get through it, you may not want to play again. Sometimes the game became quite taxing.

Overall Thoughts

The game is comparable to titles like Shadow of the Colossus and even newer games like Rime. The concept is not new, but I the execution feels fresh. The world of Fe is fresh, fun and full of color. I kept looking forward to meeting new creatures as I continued on in my adventure. This game as run by various plants and see them light up. When Silent Ones are closing in on you, you feel a sense of fear and dread. This game feels perfect in handheld mode, and leads me to believe the best version of the game is on the Nintendo Switch!

The Good

• Colorful visuals
• Open-World Exploration
• Serene Music

The Bad

• Lack of narrative
• Simple gameplay

Soup Verdict: Get it while it’s hot and enjoy it on a day where you have nothing to do!

A review copy was provided by the publisher for the purposes of this review.