14 DAY TRIAL // 
Primordia is the name of the new adventure game coming from Wormwood Studios and Wadjet Eye Games.
The new title had to pass through Valve’s Greenlight system in order to be released on Steam, even though Wadjet Eye Games had previously published other games on the digital distribution store.
Luckily, fans of the genre were totally gripped by the quality of the title and Primordia made it in the third set of games that were recently “greenlit” on Steam.
Given the plethora of indie games getting released daily, I consider myself lucky for “stumbling” upon Primordia. The first thing that caught my attention was the game’s graphic style and its description mentioning that the story was set in a post-apocalyptic world.
As I started playing Primordia, the atmosphere and story totally gripped me like few other adventure games did in the past. A few hours of gameplay have made me realize that Primordia is one of my favorite adventure titles of all time.
Even though the 8-bit retro-style graphic is not to my liking, Primordia’s art-style is so subtle, yet solid and cohesive. The epic story is another strong point of the game, especially that Wadjet Eye Games hired a dedicated writer just for that.
It has become common knowledge that indie games are usually developed by 2-3 people that are doing many things like programming and writing the story, or composing the music.
Well, Primordia had an entire dedicated crew, each person doing only one thing, which is why the game looks so polished inside out.
The game is now available for PC and can be purchased via developer’s site, GOG.com and Steam. I should also mention that those who have pre-ordered the game will be getting a Steam key as well.
Story
Primordia tells the story of Horatio Nullbuilt, an ambitious robot, and his droid companion Crispin. Although most of us had their share of post-apocalyptic stories as all major game developers approached the subject in their latest titles, Primordia is another kind of game.
Imagine a world populated by robots where humans are seen as God. The Holy Bible is being replaced by the Book of Man and humans, now extinct, are revered and praised.
The game starts after a very short introduction with Horatio and Crispin talking in the telescope room of their ship, when their attention is grabbed by strong noises coming from the engineering room.
Alas, a rogue robot is about to steal their ship’s energy source, which is the main thing that keeps them in working condition. The frightening metallic creature makes short work of Horatio and gets away with the power core.
This is where Horatio’s adventure begins. The game uses simple mechanics specific to adventure games, but adds one of its own.
Developers thought it would be fun for players to make use of items that they find throughout the game, multiple times. This system has been present in other games, but Primordia is one of those titles that makes the best use of it.
For example, you will be able to use a simple cable to reach heights otherwise inaccessible, but you can also use it as a cord. At first glance, this might seem a bit too complex, but most of the puzzles make sense even if you’re not into gadgeteering.
Players have full control over Horatio, but can also use Crispin for various actions, such as reaching heights inaccessible otherwise. He can also drag himself into tight places and bring you certain items.
Crispin has been built by Horatio without arms, so you won’t be able to use it for actions that require use of such parts. In fact, this is one of the recurring themes in all the funny dialogs between the two robots.
Primordia features a simple fast travel system, so you won’t have to lose time moving between specific locations. This can be accessed from the map and most of the locations are discovered via telescope when you input the correct coordinates.
Another aspect that has made me see Primordia as one of the best adventure games launched this year on PC is the fact that it unravels the world and the story as you advance in the game.
You don’t get any background story from the beginning, so it’s up to you to discover who is Horatio and what he really wants/needs.
Graphics and Audio
Besides the story, Primordia’s graphics are the main attraction, but also the main downside. Many players will probably discard the idea of playing it just because they hate the 8-bit graphics.
However, those who get past this will learn to love it. This is one of the few adventure games that has its own art style.
The emptiness of the wasteland, the metallic colors, mostly sepia, kind of create the whole atmosphere of the game and tell half of the story. Primordia looks and feels like a huge painting waiting to be unraveled before your eyes.
I think the soundtrack of the game includes two main themes, which greatly contribute to the game’s amazing atmosphere. Character voice acting is another aspect that really counts for an adventure game.
Well, it looks like devs had this one covered by hiring Logan Cunningham, Bastion’s narrative voice. He’s doing a great job as the voice of Horatio, just like the overall sound experience offered by game.
I sincerely hope there will be some kind of a sequel in the not so distant future. Although I have yet to play any other Wadjet Eye Games’ titles, I think Primordia may be one of their best by far.
The Good
The Bad
Conclusion
