Iceland’s breathtaking natural landscapes have been used as the inspiration for a bevy of recent video games ranging from theHellbladeseries toDeath Stranding. But while these games might borrowIceland’s stunning vistas, they rarely take inspiration from the country’s rich history or folklore. Enter Parity Games’Island of Winds.
Founded in 2017 by former CCP Games employee María Guðmundsdóttir, Parity Games is a Reykjavik-based studio that’s still hard at work creating its debut titleIsland of Winds. During a recent trip to Iceland, Game Rant had the chance to play throughIsland of Winds' opening hour, and it didn’t take long for the strengths of the game’s Icelandic folklore-inspired world to shine.
Island of Winds Tries Something Novel With its Gameplay
InIsland of Winds, players take control of Brynhildur, a17th-century Balance Keeperwho’s returning home after a lengthy excursion. Upon arriving on the island, she finds her home village abandoned and infected with a mysterious dark magic, and her Balance Keeper friends are nowhere in sight. Brynhildur has no choice but to pick up her mentor’s magical staff and head out to cure the island of this seemingly evil blight.
With that story set-up in place,Island of Windsintroduces players to its core gameplay features. As anadventure-puzzle game,Island of Windstasks players with curing the land with their magical staff abilities, and solving environmental puzzles to access new areas. One ofIsland of Winds' most novel concepts is that players are unable to harm enemies. While they unlock a lightning spell very early on, it can only be used to clear environmental obstructions and stun enemies. To survive enemy encounters, players will either need to sneak past their foe or use their staff to cure the creature of its dark magic infection.
This emphasis on empathy will apparently play a major role inIsland of Winds' storyand gameplay, and though we didn’t get to see much of it in action, it could end up being one of the game’s defining features.
Island of Winds' Greatest Strength Is Its Authenticity
Island of Windsputs itsIcelandic folklore inspirationsat the forefront of its world design, and given that the development team is Icelandic, it all feels remarkably authentic. While classic fantasy monsters like trolls roam the island’s surface, they’re given an authentic Icelandic design, with traditional Icelandic interpretations of the creature being used as the basis for its appearance in-game.
That authenticity extends toIsland of Winds' environmental design, which has players exploring open plains, rocky beaches, underground caves, and traditional Icelandic homesteads. While other studios can capture the look of Iceland, Parity Games is able to capture the authentic feel of its home country, with plenty of smaller details (like moss being yellow and not green) compounding to create a distinct creative vision.
It’s important to note thatIsland of Windsisn’t afully-fledged AAA game, and thus there are some areas of it that players might find a little lacking. The game’s facial models, for instance, feel a little stiff and artificial. There’s also a slight bit of clunkiness when it comes to the player-character’s movements. But on the whole,Island of Windsis a very ambitious game, and its unashamed embrace of Icelandic folklore makes it a title worth watching.
Game Rant was provided with travel and lodging.
