Vane is an independent action and adventure game developed and published by Friend and Foe Games. In this unique game, you play as a bird who gets turned into a child by mysterious golden dust. You must use this new power to explore the vast desert that this game is set in. Vane is a game with extreme positives and negatives, giving off a veritable mixed experience. Among its positive features includes its unique art direction and atmospheric music. The gorgeous desert scenery truly embodies the vastness and desolation of the environment. Couple it with the amazing electronica score and you have what looks to be a solid game in your hands. Sadly, the gameplay and level designs really drag the whole experience down.

A Mixed Bag

Vane takes huge inspiration from Journey, with its free exploration gameplay and little handholding. However, the lack of clues and hints results in long minutes of aimless meandering by the players. Once they have figured out where to go, Vane just follows standard RPG gameplay puzzles, making the reward frustrating after all of the time wasted. The frustration grows twofold due to Vane's impractical saving design. Players can only save their progress during the checkpoints between acts, which means progress has the tendency to get lost. That said, the game is extremely short. For players who appreciate the meandering, this is undoubtedly a point in the game's favor. However, for other players, it means the game has very limited content and low replay value. To conclude, Vane tries its best to be a meaningful and thought-provoking game where the player can choose their own adventure. In reality, however, most players will find the aimless wandering across the desert an exercise in tedium and boredom. It's still a game worth picking up for its stunning visuals and music, but your mileage will vary on how good it is as a whole.