Fe

Fe isn’t an awful game though, but it’s a bit disappointing, and I feel as though there definitely could have been some additional polish to make the experience better. That being said, I was addicted to collecting songs, discovering crystals and making friends with a lovable group of forest creatures. If you can get over the frustrating platforming and sometimes clunky controls, you should definitely check out this stylish and unique first entry in the EA Orginals library.

Playing Fe makes it clear that Zoink has not only created a game, but also a piece of art that is a definite reflection on humans’ relationship with nature and the need for understanding that every creature has an important place in this world.

Fe is a game with a clear message and most of all a game that knows how to impress with a unique style. A wonderful world with pleasant music is waiting for patient gamers.

Beautiful moments of platforming brilliance exist, but so do moments of needless frustration. Still, the game has its charms and is worth a look if you're either obsessed with or brand new to the last decade's worth of arthouse gaming. There are far more brilliant games in this genre to recommend, but Fe will certainly do you no harm over its short play time.

Fe is all very lovely and (literally) harmonious, with fun layers of platforming. Coloured flowers and singing is a nice enough way to spend a rainy afternoon.

While there's no denying that we need to be reminded that living in harmony with the natural world gives us strength, Fe's gameplay mechanics and moment-to-moment action are not always rewarding. Its emotional arc lacks the clear structure and coherent ending that some of its cousins -- like Journey or Ori -- have done better. Fe's world is aesthetically pretty but pretty frustrating to navigate, given the imprecision of its platforming and while its use of music --both in gameplay and as an underscore -- is unique and lovely, it isn't quite enough to carry the game for its handful of hours.

Fe is simple yet complex, stylised and engaging. A six-hour affair, it’s perfect for those who found delight in Journey and, to a lesser degree, Ori and the Blind Forest. For others, it might be too much style over substance.

There’s a world of difference between pretty cute and worth playing. Fe does a tremendous job of the former, but as far as the latter goes, it leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Overall, Fe is a decent little game. While there’s not much to do except solve a puzzle, travel to the next puzzle, solve it, it still has some interesting things going for it. I just really wish the camera and platforming was a bit better, and while I understand what the developers were going for with the minimalist tutorial and explanation in both gameplay and story, I could have used a bit more just to help out in some instances. It’s not a bad game, but it’s not a very memorable one either.

The themes of nature, balance, and the connectiveness between all living things is strong and can be felt throughout. In the end Fe certainly looks the part but doesn’t quite have enough memorable moments or feeling of discovery to match its ambitious design.

Its platforming is okay but unimaginative, and its best ideas, like the tree jumping and singing affecting the world, remain underused. It can be a beautiful game at times, especially with regards to its music and audio design, but not so much so that it hides its rougher edges and undeveloped concepts.

Fe feels like an experimental platformer trying to make an emotional statement. It leans heavily on the gimmick of using songs to interact with nature, but if you're not floored by this angle - there's not much else for you.

A unique but flawed puzzle game set in a world that is never less than engaging.

Fe is a visually beautiful game that also delivers atmospheric audio pieces, but that sadly does not fulfill the promises of a truly great 3D platformer.

It tries to tell a story about animals overcoming adversity in a large interconnected forest, but falls short in just about every aspect.

Sure, it’s beautiful — and after the end credits have rolled and you’re free to explore the world, bereft of annoying puzzles, there’s beauty and secrets to be found at every corner — but as an overall experience the unnecessarily obtuse world design and repetitiveness makes Fe stand out only for its frustrations, not its successes.