Murasaki Baby

1. DYEGameBro

   Jul 24, 2015

   9

   Murasaki Baby is a strange little beast, a puzzle-platformer developed by Italian studio Ovonsonico exclusively for Sony’s Vita platform. It’sMurasaki Baby is a strange little beast, a puzzle-platformer developed by Italian studio Ovonsonico exclusively for Sony’s Vita platform. It’s a game that is as unique as you will find, with a tone that feels like the love child of Tim Burton & Lewis Carroll with the colour palette of an old sketched children’s book.
   
   Our little protagonist ‘Baby’ as she is known is quite unlike anything else out out there. She is a seemingly malformed nightmare child that wouldn’t seem out of place in Alice in Wonderland or a Brothers Grimm tale. She also has a lot of personality for a character with no actual dialogue. I love how her expressions can be just as strong through the eyes and little gasps or garbled noises she makes.
   
   The premise is simple, we must guide ‘Baby’ back home, aided only by our little love heart balloon and itchy trigger fingers on the Vita’s touchscreen. Murasaki Baby utilises the Vita’s touchpad in such a fantastic way, you won’t control anything in this game by the D-pad or right buttons, and it works flawlessly. You guide Baby literally by holding her hand with your index finger through each level. You help her jump over ledges, tap out enemies as well as flip between backgrounds that drastically change the game’s dynamic with the Vita’s rear touchpad . This is a puzzle platformer through and through with each background we flip causing different things to appear or creating new actions that can be performed. For instance, jumping between ledges may require quick flicks of the touchpad to create new ledges and a sharp memory to remember which background will create our next step. Everything from causing thunderstorms to controlling a huge beast to wreak havoc with mini earthquakes are present, and this creates a really cool dynamic in the game, especially when all these elements begin to intertwine later in the game.
   
   Director Massimo Guarini (Shadows of The damned, Killer7) nails a truly unique setting and atmosphere. The theme of protector is strong, and as a player you genuinely feel compelled to help guide Baby back to safety through the dark surroundings and shadows that linger around her. It’s also a land of enemies and sights that remind me of what scared me as a child and I really love how the game struck a chord like that for me , even if it is a creepy one.
   
   Another standout feature of the game is the unsettling, yet intricate score by Gianni Ricciardi and Silent Hill’s Akira Yamaoka. It is tense, dark and foreboding and superbly supports the tone and sense of immersion. Like a lot of cool indie games of late (Child of Light, Journey and Hohokum spring to mind) it is a better score than most AAA games on the market right now. Overall, Murasaki Baby is a little indie gem for Sony’s underrated handheld. It’s a game that feels like director Guarini has left it’s underlying themes of loss and despair up to individual interpretation. It certainly hit me in a personal way and I’m sure it will for you too.
   
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   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
2. abi_abhiabi

   Jun 8, 2015

   9

   i really enjoyed this game. it is fully a touch game except for one section. the game is too short but enjoyable. got it from ps plus. it hadi really enjoyed this game. it is fully a touch game except for one section. the game is too short but enjoyable. got it from ps plus. it had a save glitch so i need to complete the game in one sitting. that is the only cons here. otherwise the game is definitely worth a try! 9/10..… Expand

   • 0 of 3 users found this helpful
4. Storm1672

   Sep 16, 2014

   8

   Murasaki Baby has disappointed us with its duration, at about 2 hours and also costing 10 euros. If you are willing to bypass that and you areMurasaki Baby has disappointed us with its duration, at about 2 hours and also costing 10 euros. If you are willing to bypass that and you are the kind of gamer that is interested in originality, prepare to see something trully unique and artsy.
   
   Overally, the package has a continuous atmosphere and its gameplay ideas are crafted from the nightmares and dreams of the little kids. The game does everything to put you in a position so as to care for the Baby, while the Baby itself is one of the most adorable video game characters ever. You will want to protect her at any cost, while the immediacy of the touch controls makes you a part of it.
   
   If it had twice the content and lasted at least 4 hours, we would be talking about one of the best PS Vita titles. Nonetheless, along with Tearaway, this is probably the best usage of the Vita features.… Expand

   • 3 of 5 users found this helpful
5. zomboidmike

   May 16, 2015

   7

   Artistically cool. The problem are in the touch that often is no working at all and this is a mess because it has potential. It ends too fastArtistically cool. The problem are in the touch that often is no working at all and this is a mess because it has potential. It ends too fast too but i suggest to play it. Cheap price too!… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. TheQuietGamer

   May 22, 2015

   7

   It's focus is on its unique style and using just about every one of the Vita's unique features. It's primarily a touchscreen game, but use ofIt's focus is on its unique style and using just about every one of the Vita's unique features. It's primarily a touchscreen game, but use of the gyroscope controls pop up from time to time. The way the game has you interact with the protagonist by literally holding her hand allows you to establish a bond with the character that few other games have. It really put it perspective that it was my job to keep the "Murasaki Baby" safe and I cared more about her as a result. It's an incredibly impressive feat that leads to satisfying payoff.
   
   The gameplay consist of puzzles and guiding the little girl to safety. You'll be switching backgrounds that have different abilities that allow you to progress. The puzzles aren't too tough so the real challenge comes from juggling how many touchscreen controls the game has you using at once. It can get a bit irritating at times. The more commands it throws on you at once the more tedious it can become. Thankfully things never get too tough so the fun is almost always there. It's also a very brief experience. The bad thing about that is there isn't any reason to give it another go after completing it.
   
   That beings up the question of why pay for it if there's not much content? The answer is originality. Yes, it is over before you know it and yes it can be frustrating at times, but with such a unique style and original gameplay there is something here. If you are looking for something new that shows off just how all of the Vitas unique features can be used in a game I recommend it. But if you are looking for something that will back up the purchase with a lengthy experience you are going to want to look elsewhere. It's a flawed game, but a relatively cheap one. Whether or not the content is worth the money depends on what you are looking for. Overall though it's a nice game that has reasons to check it out.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
7. LowMerc

   Jul 18, 2017

   6

   It's not a good game, not at all. The atmosphere is ok, the bunnies are cool and the soundtracks by Akira Yamaoka are awesome. I'm giving thisIt's not a good game, not at all. The atmosphere is ok, the bunnies are cool and the soundtracks by Akira Yamaoka are awesome. I'm giving this a 7 only because of the 2 soundtracks which I recall were from Yamaoka.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. AresuKido

   Aug 21, 2015

   4

   A deception. It is slow, there is so few "true game" parts that is difficult to call it a game, you pass more or less all the time walking,A deception. It is slow, there is so few "true game" parts that is difficult to call it a game, you pass more or less all the time walking, and it even has some bugs. I wanted to like this game, but... I don't.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful

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