Shape of the World Xbox One X Review

Shape of the World has no story, with your only objective being to reach the summit of a mountain. No dialogue is provided, and the only direction given are triangle shaped portals leading to the next section. Much of the appeal comes from the journey itself, as you travel to different regions each with their own distinct style. Shape of the World is not a game for everyone but those looking for a relaxing adventure with beautiful environments will find the adventure worth taking.

Shape of the World has only one goal, you must make it to the summit using triangle-shaped portals littered throughout the world. Nothing can kill you and the only hostility you’ll encounter is a creature that can bump you. Instead, the game wants to take your time and explore the large colorful environments.

Each of the 9 environments has their own distinct color palette and environmental terrain. It’s hard not to notice how utterly beautiful the game looks. Much of the environments follow a similar pattern, with related creatures, but the use of color helps distinguish each area. It would’ve been helpful if the game provided a highlight of when you entered a new area for achievement purposes.

Gameplay is limited in Shape of the World. Since much of the game focuses on exploration and simple puzzles are usually restricted to finding a path to the next portal. Most of them rely on interacting with brightly colored rocks that can be easily seen from the rest of the terrain. Some open paths to the next objective, perform a unique action to alter the environment or cause your avatar to leap massive heights. Since these rocks are essential to progression the developers made them extremely bright, so players lost can easily spot them from a distance. In addition, the portals are highlighted in the sky to give players a sense of direction.

Movement is limited in Shape of the World with the avatar moving at a notably slower pace. You can interact with trees, plants, and stalactites to boost your speed and some rocks will cause the avatar to propel large distances. If you need an extra boost you can throw and plant seeds to grow trees that boost your speed and once you get the hang of it rushing past segments becomes a breeze.

Shape of the World is short and doesn’t have much replayability. There are optional achievements that require multiple playthroughs but after the first adventure, you can easily complete the game in under 40 minutes. Shape of the World provides a short but memorable experience thanks to strong art design and an excellent soundtrack.

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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