Here comes a puzzle platformer that focuses on cooperation and teamwork. Degrees of Separation pairs skills and unique abilities together to achieve a common goal.
And with couch co-op available, it is a refreshing breath of life into what has been a stagnating genre for a little while now.
Degrees of Separation tells a tale of the opposite. Ember and Rime are two sides of the same coin as they wander in search of answers to save their homes. Ember wields the power of fire, heat, sunlight and summer.
Her unlikely ally Rime uses frost, cold, moonlight and winter. Together they must overcome puzzles and challenges that stand in their way, leaning on each other’s strengths to alleviate their own weaknesses.
It’s a beautiful story of cooperation and determination as well as putting aside one’s differences, told through an ever increasingly difficult puzzle platform game.
Degrees of Separation
First of all, I have to say the game’s art and sound design are just beautiful. Even the most frustrating puzzles were calming and thoughtful as the animation and music give clues as to each characters interaction with the world.
Instantly I was reminded of Braid, a puzzle platformer that released in 2008. Braid focused on a bizarre dream world and the manipulation of time. As you progressed through the challenges the game introduced additional mechanics.
The same is true of Degrees of Separation. As Ember and Rime push deeper into the world, their presence is felt on the environment. From freezing barriers that drag them down or rolling a log into an immense snowball to warming lanterns that boost lifts or melting a lake to pull a secret lever.
You’ll need to swap out characters and learn what both of them are capable of as you attempt to uncover the darkness that is shaking the earth apart.
No Bacon in Sight
Secondly, the inclusion of couch co-op was a big boost for me. Not only does it allow more precision or better timing when solving fast moving puzzles, but games are almost always better with a friend and Degrees of Separation is no exception.
The innovative world and puzzle design presents a unique challenge, but won’t be difficult for fans of the puzzle platform genre to complete.
One of the greatest strengths of this game is the chance to introduce a friend who hasn’t fully engaged this style of game. Working with them to demonstrate what a puzzle platform game can be is great. Degrees of Separation isn’t redefining the genre or breaking any boundaries, but it is just a beautifully and lovingly crafted game.
A lot of thought and dedication has gone into Degrees of Separation and while I only played a preview build the high polish and detail really shines through in an age of crowdfunded early access DLC marketing.
I recommended Degrees of Separation for newbies and puzzle veterans alike. The full game launches on February 14 and will available on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.
If you want more news, updates and screenshots of Degrees of Separation then check out the official Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Discord. Don’t forget you can follow PowerUp! as well for news, reviews and announcements.
We’ll post our full review of Degrees of Separation closer to release.
Degrees of Separation was previewed on PC using a digital Steam code provided by the developer.
