riot forge has perfected an unusual formula for its video games: creating titles whose main audience is not represented by fans of a genre or a character but by lovers of the MOBAs of the parent company, League of Legends. The new Nunu's Song: A League of Legends Story, however, takes a step back from the rest of the releases in this label's catalog because, taken as a video game in itself, without the references to LoL, it is not a big deal.
The Mageseeker, Ruined King and CONV/RGENCE, in addition to being video games full of references and narrative nods for League of Legends lovers, were also good representatives of their genre. Song of Nunu, on the other hand, has an enjoyable and at some points very moving story, but devalued by gameplay that is not always memorable.
When nostalgia turns into delay
Song of Nunu is a not very long adventure game, and in six or seven hours you will be able to complete it effortlessly, also taking the time to look for the few collectibles scattered throughout the levels. In addition to the protagonists, Nunu and Willump, you will meet the brave Braum and the evil Lissandra. along with a couple of other famous champions from the Freljord region that we won't spoil. The rendering of these characters is good and the localization, complete with full dubbing in Spanish, does justice to the Nordic-themed kingdom of League of Legends.
Like all Riot Forge productions, they try to use the characters and the LoL universe to explore new genres, sometimes very far from MOBAs. In this case the developers of Tequila Works They decided to focus a lot on nostalgia in terms of game modes and mechanics, sometimes even too much. The exploration of the levels does not have peaks of creativity, the platforms are sometimes repetitive, the combats never represent a real obstacle and the puzzles are sometimes frustrating. It is a real shame, since the story, which takes on more fairy tale characteristics given the young age of the protagonist, offers beautiful moments of tenderness and emotional intensity.
That of Nunu and Willump, in fact, is a very touching story because the former was orphaned and the latter is the last yeti in the world of Runeterra. Two lonely spirits who find each other and fight against adversity are excellent protagonists of a coming of age story, which could have been accompanied by equally exciting gameplay.
One flute to save them all
Where Song of Nunu catches up is in the puzzles and sections where the protagonist must play Svellsongur, the magic flute with the power of True Ice. In the League of Legends universe there are three types of ice, normal ice as we all know it, True Ice which can only be produced by the magic of the Yetis, and is a super resistant and magical mineral, and Dark Ice. , an evil force of which Lissandra is master. The ore from the flute grants Nunu supernatural abilities, if she plays the correct melody. This aspect has been translated into playability by transforming the two triggers and the two columns of the controller into the buttons of the instrument.
Each button corresponds to a note, as does each pair, for a total of ten possible combinations. Every sound has a runic-style visual representation, and everything has its song: from opening doors to operating elevators, to mind-controlling forest creatures and the ice power manipulation. This mechanic is very fun and strongly linked to the narrative of the game, given that the Notaj tribe (from which Nunu comes) has a strong musical tradition.
One of the collectibles scattered around the game world is a sort of wind chime that sings a verse of a song in Notaj which you can unlock in its entirety by the end of the adventure. Like the other good ideas in Song of Nunu, however, the flute also serves to complete the same repetitive and already seen tasks within the environmental puzzles. Furthermore, towards the end of the adventure, the songs will become more complicated, turning into one nice memory and rhythm challenge to recreate a sweet Nordic melody.
Save what can be saved
If you are a fan of the League of Legends narrative universe, Nunu's song has something to say, despite not shining in terms of gameplay. Nunu and Willump tell many aspects of their story, as do Braum (complete with his regal mustache) and Lissandra, who serves as the game's villain. You will discover the myths and legends of the Freljord, the apocalyptic danger that hides under the ice and the great deities that inhabit this land. The jokes make you smile and the inevitable happy ending will leave you with a small, intense sense of hope for the future, because if even two souls abandoned by the world like Nunu and Willump can find friendship, it means that then everyone has a chance. .
However, if you've never heard of Runeterra, you might not fall in love with a game based on somewhat repetitive platforming sections, unoriginal puzzles, and not particularly complex stealth sections, in the name of a nice story, but it's hard to relate if you've never met these characters.
Conclusions
Tested version PC with Windows digital delivery Steam, playstation store, Xbox Store Price 29,99 € Holygamerz.com 6.5 Readers (1) 3.0 your voteSong of Nunu: A League of Legends Story is a step below other Riot Forge products. It has a nice story starring the champions of the iconic MOBA, but at a playable level it is not particularly original, except for the protagonist's flute and the way he plays it. Nunu and Willump are two solid characters and protagonists of a good story, but the narrative moments are interspersed with a series of weak puzzles that add nothing to the experience. However, those who are madly passionate about the kingdom of Freljord should not miss the experience, because a lot is told about this region, its myths and legends.
PRO
- moving story
- It's always nice to play the flute.
- Lots of information about the kingdom of Freljord.
AGAINST
- Trivial puzzles
- Repetitive scan
- Monotonous stealth phases
