Did you ever go somewhere with your family when you were young such as a mall or store and have the fear of them disappearing and you ending up all alone? That is the premise behind Ib from publisher Playism and developer kouri. If you enjoy creepy adventure titles then read on for my review of the Nintendo Switch version of Ib.
Ib was originally released a decade or so ago as something made with RPG Maker. Don’t let the appearance fool you though as this title is much more than it appears and is very much worth your time. The story follows a young girl named Ib who is visiting an art gallery with her mom and dad. While looking at the various pieces of art from an artist name Guertena, Ib suddenly finds that things around her have changed and everyone but her has disappeared. Things really don’t feel right at all and before she knows it Ib ends up entering one of the paintings and ending up in another world.
In this new world the paintings have come alive with some of them being dangerous and Ib also finds that her life is tied to a rose so she has to be careful not to let it lose all of its petals. Ib will also find that other people have been trapped here as well and talking with them can help to provide guidance on how to escape. Ib is all about exploring, observing your surroundings, and solving puzzles with the less you know about this game going in the better. I don’t want to touch on any puzzle solving solutions in this review as I feel that is best to be figured out by the player but I will say that I don’t think any of them are too tough to figure out. Some did leave me thinking for a bit but I was able to always figure out the solution in a reasonable amount of time. The whole game can also be finished in a couple hours but there are reasons to dip your toes back in with there being several endings you can end up with. You will have to replay sections though in order to see them all so if that isn’t your thing then this may be a one and done for you.
It wasn’t just the puzzles I enjoyed about this game but the whole mood and atmosphere of it too. I wouldn’t say I was scared while playing it but I did find it unnerving most of the time. Every room and area I went into I never knew what to expect so I was always on my guard. The visuals still roughly look the same as they did when this RPG Maker project released over a decade ago but things have been tuned up a bit to give it a more pleasant look. The resolution has been increased and there is new artwork and effects among other things. The audio design is also superb with spooky sound effects and music helping to create that sense of dread that permeates this experience.
Having not known anything about Ib going into it for this review, I finished and came away from it very impressed. If you’re a fan of horror and pixel art experiences then Ib will be right up your alley. The atmosphere is unnerving throughout and the puzzles never left me stumped for too long. Ib is a spooky delight and one I fully recommend if you enjoy such things.
*Ib is available now on Nintendo Switch and PC. Nintendo Switch version reviewed. Review copy provided by Playism for this review.
Ib
$14.99
Pros
- Very unnerving atmosphere and premise
- Well thought out puzzles
- Great sound design that adds to the atmosphere
Cons
- Having to replay sections to see al the endings is a drag
