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THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN (PS)
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Publisher: Psygnosis.
Developer: Psygnosis. Released: June 1997 (Europe). Genre: Adventure. Other versions: PC. Posted 30th May 2021. By Shane Battams © 2021 |
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Psygnosis would have the unenviable task of creating a game based around the cryptic, mysterious film The City of Lost Children in 1997. An odd mix of Myst, Alone in the Dark and the aforementioned movie, it seems like a recipe for disaster with the PlayStation’s weak track record with film tie-ins. But scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find an atmospheric adventure that burns fairly brightly, if only for a short time.
Set in a grim steampunk port city, players take the role of Miette, a young girl forced into performing thefts by Siamese twin headmistresses. Though initially she finds some success, she eventually must contend with dangerous Cyclops, who captures children so as to have their dreams stolen by the infamous Krank. But with the aid of One, a brother figure who watches over her, she may yet escape this nightmare. Though none of the film’s cast reprise their roles, the cut-scenes and dialogue set up the world nicely with competent acting.
The City of Lost Children uses an effective setting and sinister inhabitants to make for a spooky playing environment
The City of Lost Children can best be described as an adventure game which the look and feel of a survival horror game. Miette controls with tank-style movement, allowing you to swivel and run. She can interact with characters to earn information on solutions, pick up and store key items and use said items to make progress. The only hindrance these controls bring is making it harder to interact with items, as not turning Miette to the exact angle can block you from interaction. But after becoming acclimatised to the controls and interactions, playing this game feels natural and smooth.
Miette will need to gather items to solve puzzles, as TCoLC borrows the tricky logic of classic adventures like Broken Sword. Some of the solutions can be troublesome to figure out, leading to brute-force item interaction in order to make a breakthrough, something which is further exacerbated by some key items being very hard to spot, such as a candle that is completely obscured by darkness. This can be irritating, especially with Miette repeatedly spouting lines like “I can’t do anything”. But it never becomes as frustrating as the genre’s worst offenders and the game keeps moving along nicely. The game’s NPCs can also gift hints on how to progress, making proceedings a bit less tedious.
Miette will need to gather items to solve puzzles, as TCoLC borrows the tricky logic of classic adventures like Broken Sword. Some of the solutions can be troublesome to figure out, leading to brute-force item interaction in order to make a breakthrough, something which is further exacerbated by some key items being very hard to spot, such as a candle that is completely obscured by darkness. This can be irritating, especially with Miette repeatedly spouting lines like “I can’t do anything”. But it never becomes as frustrating as the genre’s worst offenders and the game keeps moving along nicely. The game’s NPCs can also gift hints on how to progress, making proceedings a bit less tedious.
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The game, ultimately, earns most of its points through atmosphere. The film’s eerie setting is buoyed by excellent pre-rendered backgrounds which emphasise the uncanny and the disturbing. The use of static cameras creates a sense of dread as you tread around each corner, as although there are no enemies per se, you’re never sure as to what you will run into next. The sound is equally imposing, with a haunting yet subtle soundtrack that leaves you on edge throughout, only somewhat hampered by canned lines from Miette when she cannot interact with any items. Nonetheless, the setting and presentation really suck you into the world.
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The only issue, which arguably degrades this game from an easy recommendation to a more hesitant appraisal, is its brevity. The story can easily be cleared on an initial run in less than ten hours, as though some parts may stump you, the list of areas can be counted on two hands. Once you know what you’re doing, you could breeze through it in a single sitting. There’s some incentive for explorative replays, as certain scenes and events can be missed without the performing of certain actions, but they’re not enough to push the game past the 10 hour mark.
But what’s here is, ultimately, satisfying. Despite bearing the weight of a two-year-old movie and an uneasy mix of genres, The City of Lost Children manages to captivate with its haunting setting, strong atmosphere and challenging puzzles. It isn’t the smoothest playing experience out there and many will be turned off by its incredibly brief runtime and some head-scratching logic. But for fans of the movie and those looking for adventuring outside of Discworld and Broken Sword, this one may be worth a second look.
But what’s here is, ultimately, satisfying. Despite bearing the weight of a two-year-old movie and an uneasy mix of genres, The City of Lost Children manages to captivate with its haunting setting, strong atmosphere and challenging puzzles. It isn’t the smoothest playing experience out there and many will be turned off by its incredibly brief runtime and some head-scratching logic. But for fans of the movie and those looking for adventuring outside of Discworld and Broken Sword, this one may be worth a second look.
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VERDICT
“The City of Lost Children captivates with its haunting setting, strong atmosphere and challenging puzzles, but is let down by its brevity and some clunky mechanics.” OVERALL: 6/10 |