Just, amazing

Ok, hello there. I'm new on these forums. Mainly created an account because I wanted to write this message. I got this free on Steam, like a lot of people, I guess, so I didn't really pay for it. But I have a bazillion of free games on Steam, from giveaways and whatnot, and I didn't play any of them, because I don't find them fun. I just tried this because it looked interesting. And, hell, it's a good thing I did.

This game is a little gem for me. One of those games that you fall in love with. And I know, some of you might think I'm exaggerating, but not really. So well, I'm gonna start my sorta-review here.

First, the story. It isn't such a deep or serious story, but that's ok. I understand that this was gonna be a episodic game, so I can get that maybe just one episode isn't that deep. It's perhaps the only problem I can find with the game. Alongside the music, that was ok, but maybe not great (the ambient music, didn't really hear the radio one)

But the important part, the gameplay. I've been a fan of platform games since I played the first Prince of Persia baaack then and loved it. It was just the fun of making sharp and precise jumps, grabing ledges, watching how the Prince cheated death just by some centimeters, and while it wasn't mind blowing action and acrobatics, it was fun. Well, nowadays, is really hard to find platform games that give you that feeling. Most of them doesn't feel natural, or as precise, not even the popular Prince of Persia reboot for the PS2. Games like Assassin's Creed, which are about parkour and whatnot, while fun, they don't really nail that aspect (mostly because it's not what they want, but whatever). Mirror's Edge is one of the games I can say does exactly that. It requires a lot of skill, and when you do it right, it feels good. Well, this game does exactly that. It turns platforming, jumping, wall jumping and more, into something fun. Something that doesn't turn repetitive or boring. That's one of the reasons I could play the game without raging. There are some parts that are fairly hard, yet I could just shrug it off and keep playing. The platforming is really good. Is simple, is sharp, precise, is fun, fast. There's really nothing I can say here. It may seem silly to some to write a paragraph this big without actually saying nothing, but this is REALLY a big deal in this kind of game, because it's what keeps it fun.

Now, the other big part of the gameplay. The puzzles. I don't know if the whole photo system was made before, or something similar, in a game. But it was refreshing and great. I love puzzles games, and this game does it right. It has puzzles that make you think, yet don't involve pixel hunting or ridiculous hard things. And the whole "take a photo" aspect just gives the puzzles this bit of fresh air that they needed.

So yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed the gameplay in the game. But I'd like to praise another point of it. The whole... vibe, the game has. Achieved through its setting, its music, its design. It gives the game a really strong personality. You know, being able to take pictures, to delete them, to use a software in your PDA to try and solve puzzles (Something that was delightful, and it made the difficulty just near perfect), the pinball game, the radio, the art. It gives the whole world the game's into to feel more, detailed, alive. The ability to visit planets in whichever order you can, and the whole design in the different aliens worlds (that really gave me that "Out Of This World/Another World" vibe, another great similar game). All in all, the game was full of these details that weren't really important for the gameplay or story, yet it made the game incredibly better. The key is on those details.

Anyway, I wrote a lot of stuff, sorry for whoever who has to read that (if anyone at all will). I'm sorry for this sloppy review, but I just had to say it somewhere. Is a real shame the game won't have more episodes of nothing like that, but I get that making a game isn't an easy task. I will, however, keep an eye on anything that may come from this developer, if any, I don't really know.

Short version. I loved the game. It' gameplay elements are perfect and it has a strong and unique personality, which makes the game for me. Kudos to the developer.

But the important part, the gameplay. I've been a fan of platform games since I played the first Prince of Persia baaack then and loved it. It was just the fun of making sharp and precise jumps, grabing ledges, watching how the Prince cheated death just by some centimeters, and while it wasn't mind blowing action and acrobatics, it was fun. Well, nowadays, is really hard to find platform games that give you that feeling. Most of them doesn't feel natural, or as precise, not even the popular Prince of Persia reboot for the PS2. Games like Assassin's Creed, which are about parkour and whatnot, while fun, they don't really nail that aspect (mostly because it's not what they want, but whatever). Mirror's Edge is one of the games I can say does exactly that. It requires a lot of skill, and when you do it right, it feels good. Well, this game does exactly that. It turns platforming, jumping, wall jumping and more, into something fun. Something that doesn't turn repetitive or boring. That's one of the reasons I could play the game without raging. There are some parts that are fairly hard, yet I could just shrug it off and keep playing. The platforming is really good. Is simple, is sharp, precise, is fun, fast. There's really nothing I can say here. It may seem silly to some to write a paragraph this big without actually saying nothing, but this is REALLY a big deal in this kind of game, because it's what keeps it fun.

I understand your point and agree completely. Given that, I can't recommend Knytt Stories enough. Nifflas' own levels are all fantastic and, after that, there are at least a few dozen inarguably brilliant user levels. It can be a bit of a hassle hunting for the best amongst all of them out there but it's easy enough to get recommendations, and those usually with download links included. There are some equally good, equally free, modded versions of KS aswell but I'm wary of burying you in recommendations.

I'm a big fan of nearly all Nifflas' other games aswell but I'll spare you any more evangelising There are a lot of different styles and genres of game so some people get disappointed rummaging through the back catalogue, just to warn you. The quality is always high but, inevitably, not every game is to the taste of every user.

Now, the other big part of the gameplay. The puzzles. I don't know if the whole photo system was made before, or something similar, in a game. But it was refreshing and great. I love puzzles games, and this game does it right. It has puzzles that make you think, yet don't involve pixel hunting or ridiculous hard things. And the whole "take a photo" aspect just gives the puzzles this bit of fresh air that they needed.

I'm not aware of any games that had used it at the time but there's a game called Snapshot by (amongst others) Kyle Pulver. Unfortunately, it appears that the demo's no longer available (though this was mostly a very long-winded way of saying that I think it was an original concept in Saira).

Anyway, I wrote a lot of stuff, sorry for whoever who has to read that (if anyone at all will). I'm sorry for this sloppy review, but I just had to say it somewhere. Is a real shame the game won't have more episodes of nothing like that, but I get that making a game isn't an easy task. I will, however, keep an eye on anything that may come from this developer, if any, I don't really know.

Short version. I loved the game. It' gameplay elements are perfect and it has a strong and unique personality, which makes the game for me. Kudos to the developer.

There was a period after the release of people, on a semi-regular basis, signing up to the forum to rant about how much they hated Saira and then disappear again. It was all a bit unpleasant, in no small part because most muppets with an anger-management problem choose to shout it from the rooftops, while very few satisfied players take the time share their opinions. As much now as it was then, it's a real pleasure to hear from on of the latter.

My favorite part of Saira was the radio. I thought it was really cool, it somehow added to the feeling of the lonesome space traveller.

That being said, I never finished Saira  , but overall I was left with good impressions!