In the infinite library of Babel there is the Truth and all its opposites, but men have managed to find in its books only a few expressions with some kind of meaning, among them "Thunder hairstyle" (which should say something to comic book fans). The library was born in 1941 from the fervent imagination of the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, but now Tanuki Studio decided to use it as the basis for a platform and stealth adventure with a strong narrative vocation.
The plot - which also takes advantage of suggestions coming from Apocalypse now - is undoubtedly the strong point of the production, which in its second part is marred by a platforms that are too "surgical" and omnipresent, with a frustrating and boring result for the player. There remains excellent artistic direction and many good ideas for a video game based on agility and stealth, not violence.
We tell you about our trip to the Library of Babel in ours Review of The Library of Babel..
Research in Mesopotamia
"All humans died in the great extinction. Cats did not". This is one of the phrases you read during the (long) load of The Library of Babel, set 20.000 years after the extinction of the human species. The world is now ruled by an advanced robotic society that knows very little about its creators, but the Searcher Ludovic, the protagonist of the adventure, heads to a recently discovered ancient library in the hopes of learning more: its shelves seem to contain everything that has been written and everything that is yet to be written.
Received from robotic matriarch Ludovik, who is in charge of deciphering the signals coming from the library, finds himself in the middle of a declared state of emergency due to the murder of a religious leader, and must delve into forgotten and dangerous territories to locate the mysterious murderer. Exploring the jungle and mountains of this Mesopotamia of the future It is made fascinating by an excellent artistic direction, characterized by strong chiaroscuros and excellent handling of the camera, which occasionally moves away from the protagonist to offer spectacular and wide views. The use of two-dimensionality guarantees precise management of what is presented to the player, with highly detailed backgrounds and animations. The same attention is also perceived in the dialogue and menu interfaces, consistent with the robotic nature of the protagonist and his secondary characters.
There's no place to hide
The Biblioteca de Babel is a two-dimensional platform game in which you advance hiding from the guards that populate the areas occupied by the cult that Ludovik must investigate. This is especially true in the first hours of the game, while in the second part of the adventure (which can be completed in ten hours approximately) we are witnessing a decisive turn towards a more advanced platform and, in our opinion, unnecessarily technical and complex: The Library of Babel is not presented to the public as an extreme experience but as a title with a strong narrative vocation, and continuation beyond a certain point will be especially difficult for players not accustomed to technical feats, also taking into account the lack of accessibility.
The following remains essential Dialogues, through which you get main and side quests reported in a specific section of the menu - it's a shame that the dialogue options already covered are not highlighted visually, and that some side missions They are really necessary for all purposes to continue the adventure, without the player being informed in this regard. Exploration and backtracking After obtaining new skills, they are essential to continue and satisfy the requests of the robots present in the colony that acts as the central axis of the game, also paying attention to the possibility of combining objects with each other through a special option within the game. . inventory .
nice me puzzle to unlock doors, which can be solved by creating a balance between the red and blue lights by directing the flow of electricity. Once you have accessed one of the areas into which this video game Mesopotamia of the Future is divided (all different within the map and equipped with fast travel options), you must carefully avoid the enemies that patrol the area. The stealth system is very simple: Ludovik must crouch behind boxes and other objects (highlighted with white outlines) and wait for the enemy to pass, then get up and move at the right moment. Too bad the guards have one. AI not very readable: The absence of a cone of vision makes itself felt, and even after several hours you are surprised by an enemy capable of following you even at a great distance, while on other occasions you will not have any reaction even if you jump over your head. of the robot on duty. There is a certain result bottom flatness, and the system in general becomes monotonous and uninteresting after a short time. Checkpoints aren't always forgiving, and replaying entire sections of challenging platforming due to minor errors is, in the long run, a really frustrating experience, also considering that you lose a portion of the gems you've collected.
From a technical point of view, The Library of Babel poses no problems on Nintendo Switch, but it is marred by long loading times when entering a different area or using fast travel. Discreet, although with too many errors. Translation to Spanish. The music is gorgeous, with Middle Eastern sounds that seem to come from the distant future, a happy metaphor for a robotic civilization trying to remember its human "ancestors."
Conclusions
digital delivery Nintendo eShop Holygamerz.com 6.5 Readers (3) 8.5 your voteTanuki Studio has created a stimulating plot that is inspired by Borges' story, but inserts many new elements that make for a really interesting film, despite a pace that is not exactly exciting. The soundtrack is very successful and offers sounds rarely heard in the world of video games, inserted in a world that is almost always beautiful to look at. It is a shame that there is little sense of progression in the game mechanics, which remain anchored in the most classic stealth styles and degenerate into difficult and unnecessarily frustrating platforms.
PRO
- Well thought out plot
- Excellent artistic direction.
- Soundtrack with Middle Eastern sounds projected into the future
AGAINST
- Slow and stealthy passages with difficult to read enemies.
- Frustrating platforming starting in the middle of the adventure.
- Mission management not very understandable.
