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Saira PC
  • Publisher: nifflas
  • Release Date: Dec 12, 2009
User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10

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  1. tech-noir
    Apr 25, 2012
    5
    At first glance, Saira looks and in fact is, a very cheap Flash game. You will not be able to adjust any settings at all, such as the volume, and the game takes up a relatively small part of the screen. Needless to say, there are large black borders surrounding the viewable game area. The graphical style also manages to have an overly simple and cheap look, which also goes along with an overall cut-rate presentation and production. The jumping and platforming elements also appear to be designed poorly, as timing the jumps can often be awkward and unusually rough. Despite these limitations, Saira does offer the player some mildly interesting and basic interactions with the game world. As you travel to different planets to collect various objects for your project, you discover other life forms, as well as different machines that you must interact with throughout your quest. While the initial puzzles are favorable and intuitive, they will quickly become boring, annoying, repetitive, pointless, and severely lacking in creativity as you progress through the planets. The game's protagonist must put a photo camera to use in order to remember mundane puzzle hints, as well as use other gadgets in each planet. While inside the ship, one has access to a few other screens which allows for a poorly designed pinball mini game, and a radio receiver of sorts, that advertises musicians and their Myspace page links. Everything about Saira screams low production values and very poor execution. While it is true that the idea behind the game is quite interesting and promising, it is obvious that the development talent is simply not up to the task, as there is a clear gap between the concept and accomplishment. With poor showings such as NightSky and Saira, the developer has proven that the necessary skills in order to create appropriate games is severely lacking, and one can only hope that this improves over time. If all of these faults were not enough, it is also important to mention that this bore is prone to random crashing as well. The asking price is also something to be ashamed of. Saira is yet another good example of what limited game design and poor implementation is, and what should be avoided in the future. It is the epitome of what independent game development should not be like. Perhaps if it were freeware, it would be more suitable.… Expand
  2. CannibalBob
    May 22, 2012
    7
    Maybe it's the elegance; the simplicity and clarity, or maybe it's just nostalgia, but I have a soft spot for 2D hand-drawn platformers. Atmospheric with a sense of exploration and adventure, Saira pulls you along with a compelling story of a lost friend in an experiment gone wrong. Unfortunately, it still has an amateur-ish feel typical to indie games. With rather basic gameplay consisting of jump-timing challenges or logical, trial-and-error sliding-tile-type puzzles, Saira leaves much to be desired for those experienced at these types of games. There are some good puzzles in the 4.7h of gameplay. The restrictive engine leaves no flexibility in customizing the obtuse keybindings or at adjusting resolution. Saira will prove to be a fun, short and relaxing adventure for fans of indie platformers, worth playing if found in a bundle.… Expand
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
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No score yet - based on 3 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. PC Gamer UK
    88
    A gorgeous, sci-fi themed platformer, rich with tough puzzles and smart design. Simple, but amazingly detailed. [Mar 2010, p.94]
  2. Total PC Gaming
    70
    A beautifully presented game with engaging platform mechanics. [Issue#31, p.52]
  3. Multiplayer.it
    80
    Saira will challenge both your hands and brain, offering beautiful scenarios and an intelligent level design. It's not for everyone but is still a great piece of indie.
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