The narrative in Chariot is all about a young Princess on a mission to find a proper burial site for her father, the king. The only problem is that the king is already dead, and his grumpy spirit not resides inside of a heavily ornamented chariot that must be pulled through multiple levels in order to inevitably find the king's royal tomb. The Princess can be joined in the journey by her fiancé is cooperative sessions, and there is plenty of humor in the game regardless of how many players are in the game at one time. Chariot's fun storyline and strong voice acting from the deceased king go a long way in making Chariot an entertaining experience for all age groups.
Gameplay in Chariot revolves around moving a large chariot over gaps, up hills and across hazards. The player has access to a rope that can be wrapped around the wheels of the chariot to pull the device forward, swing across gaps or use to pull the ride up a hill. The game begins with some very simple puzzles that teach players basic controls of the game, but the game later introduces all sorts of hazards that can kill the player or destroy the chariot. The game does a good job with progression of difficulty, and it's rare, if not impossible, to break a level where a puzzle becomes impossible, so Chariot is definitely a very well designed new title.
In addition to moving the king through levels to an exit at the end of stages, players have the secondary objective of collecting jewels and treasures located throughout levels. Players will want to find the different jewels in levels in order to purchase new items later in the game. There are smaller, common jewels seen throughout the entire levels, larger and more valuable jewels that are more difficult to grab, jewel skulls for some neat unlockables and item blueprints to unlock new items at the in-game shop. The cart must run over the items to be picked up, and a large portion are difficult puzzles that require some complex maneuvers to obtain. Additionally, there are secret exits in some levels that can be used to access new areas.
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Despite having strong puzzle design and a whimsical storyline, perhaps the best trait of Chariot is the game's excellent presentation. The game features fun graphics, bright color designs and funny character animations. The game's graphics combines with good sound design including great, tone setting themes and nice voice acting from the king in the game. Chariot also supports couch cooperative multiplayer, where the game changes to accommodate two players in a single session. The game's controls are a bit strange and have a slight learning curve that will take players a little of time to adjust to though. Chariot is still one of the most polished indie games to release in 2014, and puzzle platformer fans will really enjoy what the game has to offer players.
Chariot is an entertaining and whimsical title that is fun for gamers of all ages. The game presents physics based puzzles that have a good sense of progression without ever being too difficult. The game features a great presentation that includes fun cooperative multiplayer and fun environments brimming with secrets ready to be discovered. Not every gamer will appreciate the cute art style, and the game does have some iffy controls that hold the game back somewhat, but the minor problems won't keep players from having fun with the new title. Chariot is out now on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Chariot is now available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One and can be purchased for $14.99. Chariot is rated E by the ESRB for Mild Fantasy Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Chariot website.
Game Features:
- Local Multiplayer 1-2
- Solve Physics Based Puzzles
- Upgrade Chariot and Build New Mining Items
- Colorful Cartoon Designs with Fun Themes
- Trophy/Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer: Frima Studio
Platforms: PlayStation 4 & Xbox One (reviewed)
Release Date: September 30, 2014