Unleashing Gaia's Epic Traversal Powers

After Us: Gaia's Traversal Abilities

Embark on a thrilling journey in Piccolo Studio's latest video game, After Us. Players will assume the role of Gaia, the protagonist tasked with saving the souls of extinct creatures and unraveling the tragic events that led to their extinction. The world is plagued by oil-covered Devourers, posing a threat to what little life remains. Gaia's special abilities will aid players in exploring the world, avoiding traps, and clearing the consuming oil. Game Rant recently interviewed the co-game directors, Alexis Corominas and Jordi Ministral, shedding light on the development of the game and the importance of Gaia's abilities to the gameplay and story.

Gaia, a small nymph personified with nature-inspired characteristics, possesses a set of traversal abilities that are integral to the gameplay experience. Her light, agile, and fast movements allow her to effortlessly glide, jump, and dash through the world, giving players the freedom to explore a vast, organic environment. In addition to these traversal skills, Gaia also has special abilities such as throwing her heart and performing a burst of life, which add a unique element to her already impressive skillset. According to Corominas, Gaia's design was intended to make her feel dynamic and powerful despite her small stature in a world that is often menacing and intimidating. The traversal abilities were carefully crafted to provide players with a satisfying and cool experience, allowing them to combine skills and explore an organic world that is both beautiful and dangerous.

Gaia's traversal abilities are not only crucial for exploration but also for combat against the Devourers, dangerous creatures encountered throughout the game. The game emphasizes the integration of traversal and combat, encouraging players to use Gaia's abilities creatively to navigate around enemies. For instance, Gaia's heart can be thrown and recalled at will, acting as a boomerang that interacts with the environment to switch or activate elements. The burst of life ability is another powerful tool that temporarily stuns the Devourers by growing different types of vegetation around Gaia, providing an opportunity for redemption. According to Ministral, combat should feel like an extension of traversal, allowing players to jump over, round, dodge, or go through enemies' legs. They should make the most of Gaia's traversal skills, which are powerful against the Devourers, rather than just running away from them.

Stats and Abilities in After Us

After Us deviates from the norm with its lack of conventional stats or special abilities. Instead of being rewarded mechanically, the game focuses on emotional rewards. The player's choices, such as releasing animal spirits or nurturing life, are entirely up to them and driven by their desire to improve the world. This artistic decision harmonizes with the game's concept and motivates players to connect with the story on a more profound level. “We intentionally blurred the line between gameplay and background,” said Corominas. “The way you act and the world in which you act create a unique experience.”

Ministral also explained that their aim was to make the game easy to play, while still providing a bit of a challenge.

“We want to reach a wide audience, so the platforming shouldn’t be difficult, but at the same time it should allow for a bit of challenge here and there, specifically in moments that we want players to feel under pressure."

The World of After Us

Players can use Gaia's traversal abilities to explore the vast and diverse game environments, discovering hidden secrets and piecing together the puzzle of the world's downfall. By utilizing their special abilities, players can grow vegetation and free animal spirits, giving them both power and freedom. This aligns with the game's overarching theme of showcasing the individual's ability to create or destroy. According to Ministral, the game does not force players to restore life to the world, but rather, they choose to do so. In addition, the Ark serves as a peaceful haven for all spirits to roam freely, celebrating the player's actions and embodying the magic of a beautiful forest.

Gaia's traversal abilities not only facilitate gameplay progression but also symbolize resilience and adaptability. Her nimbleness and agility embody the capacity for growth and the ability to overcome obstacles. As players utilize her traversal abilities, they are inspired to explore, experiment, and chart their own paths, echoing Gaia's journey of self-discovery.

In addition, After Us features a unique storytelling approach that eschews traditional dialogue and exposition in favor of visual storytelling and environmental cues. The game world serves as a narrative canvas, conveying emotions, past events, and the consequences of human actions. This approach invites players to fully immerse themselves in the game's atmosphere and interpret the story through their own observations and experiences.

After Us is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.