LITTLE INFERNO (WIIU)
From the minds behind World of Goo and Henry Hatsworth, Little Inferno is one of those peculiar indies that proves a tough sell from a basic description. While perhaps appealing to pyromaniacs, the idea of a puzzler that sees you burning stuff doesn’t exactly scream ‘compelling game’. But like the story, there is more under the surface here than you might initially think. A genuinely intelligent narrative and accessible gameplay make this firestarter worthwhile, though a short runtime will prove a turn-off for value-conscious gamers and those who fail to connect with the story will wonder why they bothered.
This puzzler sees players utilising the Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace to burn objects. It’s quickly revealed that the climate of Burnington is suffering constant freezing temperatures and thus owners are encouraged to utilise the fireplace to keep warm. What starts as initially keeping warm, slowly unveils titbits of world-building, including contact with a mysterious girl who requests objects from you. Coupled with updates from The Weather Man and, despite the isolation, there is plenty of communication. It’s one which proves a slow burn, as it takes a couple of hours to start unravelling darker elements of the world around you, but the satisfying reveals and sharp satire prove enjoyable for those with patience.
Little Inferno is addictive and satisfying, if a touch on the short side
Utilising the Wii U gamepad or Wiimote, Little Inferno structures its gameplay around catalogues to order. Players start with a handful of available items to order, but further objects unlock as you burn. Each item drops currency, creating a cycle which ensures you can continuously ignite. Once ordered and after a delivery time, you can then swipe objects into the fireplace and then back and forth to start the fire. Spiders which crawl into the fireplace can also be splattered for some currency. Wait times can be skipped through stamps, though these do not drop as frequently as coins. Each catalogue has a theme, ranging from edibles to technological and each carries their own traits which may affect the fire. Some objects change the colour of the flame, others explode into smaller pieces – and mixing these together can be immensely satisfying.
While lacking anything in the way of scoring or time pressure, there is a goal system of sorts that drives the game forward. Combos can be formed by mixing selected items together, forming much of the brainteasers. You’re only left with a clue in the form of the combo’s name and how many objects are needed. Some seem quite obvious from their title, while others draw from pop culture and meta humour in order to stump you, including some funny nods to the developer’s previous work. These combos reward stamps more frequently, thus making the process of experimentation more enticing. There are 99 challenges in total and while you don’t need to clear all of them to unlock more items, it’s an addictive and rewarding system as these combos often have the most explosive, noteworthy results when burned.
While lacking anything in the way of scoring or time pressure, there is a goal system of sorts that drives the game forward. Combos can be formed by mixing selected items together, forming much of the brainteasers. You’re only left with a clue in the form of the combo’s name and how many objects are needed. Some seem quite obvious from their title, while others draw from pop culture and meta humour in order to stump you, including some funny nods to the developer’s previous work. These combos reward stamps more frequently, thus making the process of experimentation more enticing. There are 99 challenges in total and while you don’t need to clear all of them to unlock more items, it’s an addictive and rewarding system as these combos often have the most explosive, noteworthy results when burned.
The downside to this approach is Little Inferno can feel a bit short on value. Players can likely reach the ending of this one within 4 hours and mopping up the combos you may miss will likely only add a couple more. The simplistic gameplay does offer a pick-up-and-play appeal, but it also means once you’ve deciphered the solutions to these puzzles, you’re unlikely to come back to them. It doesn’t help that at times, the delivery wait times can grow tiresome towards the end, seeing you have to wait minutes just for an item to restock. While building an item multiple times reduces this, it still can cause tedious downtime between ordering objects. Keeping hold of a few key items can slightly alter the ending, but not drastically enough to warrant thorough replays.
Little Inferno has an appealing style, even if you spend almost all of the game staring at a fireplace. Objects you burn bear distinctive visual traits, with toys, for example, showcasing a cutesy charm. Burning is naturally the most visually satisfying element, with loose physics and explosive effects working beautifully in tandem. Seeing a few of the inanimate objects, like coffee cups, screaming out loud is weirdly hilarious. It runs smoothly for the most part, though some of the more destructive moments can cause frame rate stutters. The sound works very well too, with the crackling of fire and pops of flammables hitting the mark. The music is excellent, with the earwig "Just for Me" theme proving the strongest highlight.
Little Inferno has an appealing style, even if you spend almost all of the game staring at a fireplace. Objects you burn bear distinctive visual traits, with toys, for example, showcasing a cutesy charm. Burning is naturally the most visually satisfying element, with loose physics and explosive effects working beautifully in tandem. Seeing a few of the inanimate objects, like coffee cups, screaming out loud is weirdly hilarious. It runs smoothly for the most part, though some of the more destructive moments can cause frame rate stutters. The sound works very well too, with the crackling of fire and pops of flammables hitting the mark. The music is excellent, with the earwig "Just for Me" theme proving the strongest highlight.
Little Inferno would prove divisive at launch, with scores at both ends of the scale demonstrating how its unique brand of storytelling puzzler wouldn’t appeal to all. Taken on its own merits, the satisfying loop of incinerating objects and creating explosive combinations proves enjoyable for a while and those who dig deeper will find a lot of satisfying narrative and satire to uncover. While both its brevity and downtime can prove frustrating, those with the patience and are intrigued by the concept may do well to check this one out in a sale.
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VERDICT
"the satisfying loop of incinerating objects and creating explosive combinations proves enjoyable for a while and those who dig deeper will find a satisfying narrative and satire to uncover, [though] its brevity may frustrate." OVERALL: 6/10 |