14 DAY TRIAL // 
It wasn’t easy to find this little cabin in the blizzard. The door was locked and the only way in was through the roof, a hole big enough to get Asya, the protagonist, through that also allows the cold in. At least the freezing sleet remains outside. And this little Russian girl needs to quickly find a way to make fire if she’s to survive the night and maybe make it to some sort of safety.
There’s some wood neatly stacked in a pile, hopefully dry enough to burn, but, after a lot of exploration, there seems to be just one empty matchbox here and it is empty. There’s a knife on a table that Asya refuses to pick up, although it might be a god weapon if anyone else drops by. In some drawers, the girl discovers a set of pearl earrings and a locked door. The knife might be useful, but she needs to find another tool to try and pry it open.
War is hell for all those affected by it but it’s especially harrowing for children who do not have a way to escape to safe places. Asya talks to an old mitten she has repaired herself and it sometimes boasts about its exploits during the Great Patriotic War. Unfortunately, he does not have access to some magical matches to stop her from freezing.
Torn Away was developed by perelesoq, with publishing from perelesoq and Hawthorn Games. I played on the PC using Steam. It is also offered on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and older platforms from Microsoft and Sony. The title offers a mix of adventure and action mechanics, with a focus on the story.
The protagonist is Asya, a young Russian girl who starts off living in Stalingrad during World War II. Her relative safety is soon shattered, and she winds up in horrific circumstances, with only her mother as a caretaker. Russian civilians kidnapped and relocated to Germany for forced labor isn’t something many players will know about.
The situation doesn’t improve as her narrative unfolds, although our heroine displays impressive resourcefulness and quick thinking. There are moments in the game that pack a big emotional punch and can be hard to get through, especially for those who have children of their own.
The theme of kid’s hardship during times of war has been tackled before by video games, both directly and through metaphor. Torn Away takes place during World War II and involves the perspective of someone immersed in Russian and Soviet culture. Voice acting is, by default, set to Russian and there are direct references to the Great Patriotic War, using the framing the Soviet leadership created for propaganda purposes.
This might be uncomfortable for some players, given that Russia is currently waging a war of aggression in Ukraine. Sure, the developers cannot stop a military conflict. But many Ukrainian children are just as traumatized as Asya is. It somehow feels weird to empathize with her virtual plight when real kids are kidnapped and taken to Russia right now in the real world. But the story is very affecting and has some very uncomfortable moments.
Mechanically, Torn Away moves through a variety of approaches. Initially, in a small apartment in Stalingrad, it’s all about limited exploration and light puzzle work. Find the crayons to complete the drawing that will make mom happy when she comes home. On the way, get running commentary from a doll and a toy horse, with Comrade Mitten joining the imaginary chorus once he is all sewn up.
The game also has some classic platforming sections, with Asya moving through the cold environment in pretty classic fashion, with some light puzzles thrown in. Sometimes the perspective moves into the first person, enhancing the immersion, while challenging players to get to a target location. Neither of the sections is difficult to complete, although the first-person ones can be a little confusing.
Despite the effort to be varied, Torn Away never manages to make its gameplay fully engrossing. Asya sometimes doesn’t run and that’s when I wanted a button that would teleport me to the next sequence. One sequence where players become another character feels like padding.
Gamers ready to accept some mechanical limitations will be rewarded with some great narrative moments. Our heroine is bright and determined and I really wanted to spend time with her in better times. War is gruesome for everyone, but the game clearly shows how crushing it can be for a kid.
Torn Away’s presentation is painterly and somewhat abstracted, a good choice given the World War II settings and the themes the title is working with. Characters, especially core ones, are characterized visually through small, nice details. Scenes are easy to understand, and players can press H to see all objects they can interact with, reducing the level of complexity. Some animations have a slightly janky quality. The visual universe reflects the way a kid would see a set of miserable and traumatizing moments.
The game is voice-acted, with the default set to Russian, and the actors do a good job of conveying the difficult situations but also the deep well of hope that Asya draws on. The soundtrack adds to the cinematic quality of some scenes and wisely stays in the background for others.
The Good
- Strong narrative
- Engages with a difficult subject
- Gameplay variety
The Bad
- Limited mechanics
- Some animation issues
- First-person sequences can be confusing
Conclusion
Players need to be sure that they are ready to deal with some troubling and difficult moments before they engage with the game. After playing, it might be time to donate to a charity that helps children in danger. Torn Away is a good example of how video games can engage with complex themes and bring a level of engagement that other mediums cannot deliver.
Review key provided by the developer.
