Ary and the Secret of Seasons

The story is delightful, too–a little predictable at times, but not quite as straightforward as you might initially expect. It should take you between 10-15 hours to complete, depending on how much you explore and how many side quests you do. There’s also a nice dose of humor, which adds to the overall charm. Although the ending feels a bit rushed, overall Ary and the Secret of Seasons is a fun-filled, entertaining adventure in both gameplay and story.

Modus Games is quickly becoming one of my favorite indie publishers. With games like Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break, Skully, and Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince, they’re making a name for themselves as publishers of fun, quirky, and unique games. They might not all be the biggest powerhouses with regards to graphics and budgets, but each of their titles offer an enjoyable and entertaining experience. Their newest title, Ary and the Secret of the Seasons, is no exception.

An enjoyable platformer which would benefit from further development time

Ary and the Secret of Seasons is the tale of a defiant young girl who takes the fate of the world into her own hands when evil strikes. The daughter of a Guardian responsible for the security and status quo of the winter region of Valdi, Aryelle must harness the magical powers of the seasons and use them to save the world from peril. It’s an upbeat indie adventure that’s perfect for kids and undeniably full of charm, but unfortunately, it feels incomplete and unpolished in ways that wear away this charm all too fast.

A single press of a button turns a giant lake into a frozen pathway. Dry riverbeds become gushing streams, icy towns become tropical hotspots, and the weather is always up to you. This is the central mechanic at the core of Ary and the Secret of Seasons: changing the seasons themselves, and the landscape around you. When this works, it is incredible. Seeing an iced-over town filled with freezing inhabitants become a summer paradise is amazing, especially when you can do it in small, centralized locations just by pressing a single button. And if the whole game was that impressive, it would be e...

When I first watch the trailer for Ary and the Secret of the Seasons my first reaction was that the game looked hella cute. A small girl named Ary taking over her father’s place as the Guardian of Winter and in doing so, totally sticking it to patriarchal traditions? Hell yeah, count me in!

Ary and the Secret of Seasons has some good qualities. However, they're almost always in danger of being trampled by the game's consistent lack of polish and stream of bugs.

Unfortunately, Ary‘s problems largely overshadow everything there is to love about it. No-one wants be in the middle of exploring and fall through the world, or get stuck in a rock for no apparent reason. And no one wants to have that continuously happen for up to fifteen hours. With some patches to address the game’s issues, Ary and the Secret of Seasons might be worth recommending for its fun characters, engaging story and unique mechanics. But while ever those issues persist, it isn’t worth your time.

While this tale of a young heroine taking on the world is punctuated by vibrant colors, whimsical music, and the sort of cutesy charm that defines the beloved classics that Ary and the Secret of the Seasons is clearly inspired by, the game is held back by woeful performance issues that make it extremely difficult to recommend.

At times, Ary and the Secret of Seasons can be a fun if not particularly memorable new action adventure game, but what will really stick in your mind are the various gamebreaking bugs you can stumble across. I would certainly wait a few seasons for patches before considering picking this up. There is the skeleton of an enjoyable family-friendly title here but it just isn’t ready.

You’ll be left out with a “meh” after finishing the game. What game did we just play?