A Story About My Uncle is a simple first person platformer about a boy’s search for his uncle. Don’t be deceived by this premise though, as the game, designed by a team of students from Södertörns Högskola’s game development program, is surprisingly fun–if a little simplistic. The requirements were to “make a non-violent, first-person game in the Unreal Engine.” The game is quite an impressive feat, considering this was the first time these students had used Unreal Engine and that this is essentially a school project.
ASAMU certainly doesn’t break any new grounds with its gameplay. The central experience is focused around the power glove which allows you to perform various moves such as grappling to distant areas or to gain extra jump boosts. The bulk of the gameplay revolves around timing these various skills to make your across the game’s underground cavern. There were times where the controls felt a little clunky, but it was nothing major.
The overall graphical presentation is nothing to be blown away by but, much like the gameplay, its simplicity is where its charm comes from. You won’t be visiting vast epic landscapes, or war-torn alien worlds. Rather you’ll be exploring an underground cavern that is home to a race of aliens who view the player as a strange being. The presentation’s only blemish is there is no lip synching.
While it’s not some groundbreaking masterpiece, A Story About My Uncle is a noble effort by a group of first time developers. The team is definitely a group that deserves your attention.
The game is free and can be downloaded here.
The Good:
+ Simple and pure experience.
+ It’s free!
The Bad:
- Lip Synching is off.
- No save feature.
The Verdict:
A simple, fun game, and impressive considering where it comes from.
A Story About My Uncle was released on June 24th, 2012 for PC.
