Fe PS4 Game Review

Reviewed by Max C. on Feb 15, 2018

Rating:

Fe, the first game from the EA Originals program, is finally here! Check out our PS4 game review of this one-of-a-kind game here at Kidzworld!

By: Max Cannon

Gamers who have been following the industry for a while may remember the first time we saw Fe during EA's 2016 E3 Press Conference as a part of the EA Originals program. As the first release of EA's initiative to highlight independent studios (and give them any of the money the game makes,) Fe has garnered some attention for merely existing. However, this game's aesthetic and atmosphere are most likely to be what people remember Fe for despite some confusing level design.

The Silent Ones, the enemies of Fe.Courtesy of EA

A Truly Unique Game

While there are individual components of the game that could be compared to games like Journey, Ori and The Blind Forest or The Last Guardian, Fe really looks and feels like a one-of-a-kind game. The mostly minimalistic overarching plot concerns a group of creatures called The Silent Ones attacking and imprisoning animals in the forest. Toward the beginning of the game your hedgehog/fox type character (the titular Fe) is separated from his pack of similar looking creatures and journeys through the forest to save the other animals imprisoned by The Silent Ones.

Fe Official Gamescom Trailer

The game's plot is light on details, aside from collectible moments that let you see the world through the eyes of the enemy, but this gives players an opportunity to fill in the gaps themselves. The most interesting stories of the game come from your interaction between the animals you save. Fe's gameplay centers around communication with local animals and learning how to communicate with each animal is a small story in itself. Finding a mama bird's eggs and watching as its emotional pendulum swings between rage, fear, and joy gives purpose to helping this character and learning to communicate with it and other animals.

Communicating with local animals is the main hook the gameplay and world.Courtesy of Fe

The art style of Fe, while also very original, can get grating after a bit. The heavy purples and contrasty looks of the beginning are definitely attention-grabbing but the more vivid and diverse look of the later game's environments is much more appreciated, I was thrilled to see some blue skies after saving a giant deer.

Fe's expansive world can often be hard to navigate.Courtesy of Fe

Exploring the World

The story and atmosphere are likely to be rife with comparisons to Ori and the Blind Forest but the gameplay leans heavier into the exploration and gameplay of a title like Journey, to varying degrees of success. The world's puzzles are well integrated into the environment and mostly come down to circumventing two problems "how do I communicate with this plant/animal?" or "how do I get up there?" To solve these problems you'll typically need to learn how to communicate with a new animal. Communication with animals whose language you understand is enacted by holding down the right trigger to sing and generate a physical wavelength. These moments function as both a mechanic and an emotional story beat, certainly the most effective bit of gameplay in Fe.

A look at the phyiscal connection you'll make with other animals.Courtesy of Fe

The less effective part of Fe comes in the exploration. As players progress, Fe will get the ability to navigate in new ways by gliding or climbing trees but actually understanding where you are in the world is often confusing and frustrating. Though singing loudly will generate a bird that also acts as a guide, these creatures are often unresponsive, leave trails that are hard to see, and feel like they exist to help players navigate the otherwise confusing landscape. Getting turned around is a common frustration and the purple hues in the early game make things even more difficult. Though you could argue that this is part of the story and helps to put you in the position of Fe it mostly just feels like an unfair roadblock to the player.

Next to climbing trees, gliding is the game's most effective platforming move.Courtesy of Fe

Final Thoughts

The atmosphere and vibe of Fe are genuinely unique and affecting but it feels at odds with actually progressing through the game so often that the final package is seriously dampened. The developer Zoink is a team worth keeping an eye on in the future. If Fe is their first project and a very experimental one at that, I can't wait to see what they crank out in the future. But for the time being, Fe is as emotional of a journey as you're willing to let it be, assuming you can power through the confusing level design of the world.