Gorgeous New Journey with Piccolo's Arise: A Simple Story

Published: September 24, 2019 5:17 PM /

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arise - a simple story

Publisher Techland and indie developer Piccolo were able to show off a first look at their newest game, Arise: A Simple Story on today's State of PlayStation stream.

The games trailer featured a lovely little vignette of an old man wandering a snow-capped wilderness, dense forest and fantastical landscapes, facing physical challenges along the way to continue traversing his path. The old man, who is shown to be dead and burning in the opening scene, arises from the grave in limbo. In the distance, he sees a mysterious light that calls to him, atop a snowy mountain, which is the crux of the overall story. Arise has you journey across sprawling landscapes reminiscent of Journey, with several puzzles thrown in for good measure thanks to a nifty new power at your disposal, the ability to bend time to your will.

The journey seems to culminate through major life events and figures, some of which are shown metaphorically. This includes a statue of a woman, covered in what seems to be a burial mound of some kind in the games reveal trailer. What relationship your character has with the woman is unknown, but the journey to visit her statue looks to be a long, sprawling one filled with adventure, danger and wonder.

Alexis Corominas, the general manager of Piccolo Studio, stated on the PlayStation blog that the game was designed to be a personal odyssey of the hero. "We turned our hero’s rich life experience into beautiful landscapes, which will shift along with your emotional state as you roam through varied environments that reflect the current tone of the narrative. As the story unfolds, your power to manipulate time also transforms to fit the moments you’re reliving."

Those environments can lead to happy or somber events, as reflected in the games landscape. It is a journey that Corominas describes as "bittersweet" at times, filled with both joy, sadness and regret throughout.

"Reflecting on our own lives directly inspired our game, so it’s only natural that it deals with self-reflection," said Corominas. "This is a deeply personal project for us, a part of our own journey as we pursue our dream."

No official release date was given for Arise: A Simple Story, but the game looks to be one enthralling experience when it does release.

What are your thoughts on Arise? Leave your comments below. 

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| Staff Writer

A longtime player of games, creator of worlds, and teacher of minds. Robert has worked many positions over the years, from college professor to education… More about Robert

More Info About This Game
Learn more about Arise: A Simple Story
Developer
Piccolo Studio
Publisher
Techland
Release Date
December 3, 2019 (Calendar)
Genre
Adventure