Silence Tugs on our Temptations and Sense of Adventure 

Silence, Daedalic Entertainment’s continuation of The Whispered World, is an exciting adventure game that follows the story of lighthearted Noah and his curious and caring sister, Renie.  Much like the plot of the Chronicles of Narnia, Noah and Renie seek shelter from their war-ridden town in a bunker, only to find themselves transported to Silence, a dream world that sits at the edge of life and death. Filled with extreme dangers and contrasting blissful creatures and scenes, Silence tugs on our temptations and exploits our eternal struggle between good and evil. 

Daedalic Entertainment masterfully created an intriguingly mystical world full of magical creatures, beautifully designed scenery, and exciting plots that constantly keep gamers engaged. I didn’t even want to stop playing to write this review. The world draws you in straight from the beginning, and you just can’t wait to see what’s waiting for you around the corner or in the next chapter. Very heavy on the storyline and plot, Silence makes you fall in love with the characters and fight for and believe in their cause. Instead of one main character, you are able to play as three characters: Noah, Renie, and their worm Spot. Their internal struggles become your own, and when you switch characters it is as if you yourself gain their experiences, character flaws, struggles, and abilities. The ragtag rebel group Noah and Renie find themselves joining also provides a fresh set of personalities and comic relief that never becomes boring or old. 

Love, romance, family, war, soul-searching characters and a surprising plot twist provide Silence with all the ingredients for a successful adventure game and so much more. Daedalic has brilliantly transformed the genre and created exciting and unique adventures that outshine their competitors. With multiple outcomes and choices, Silence creates somewhat of an ability to choose between good and evil, much like the beloved title, Fable. While you don’t change the ultimate outcome of the game from your decisions, you are rewarded by exploration and making different selections. You can give into the temptations thrown at you and create a slightly darker storyline. You can choose to lick the ‘shrooms and pass out, sneeze on the candles of life, or choose whether or not you want to prime an exploding bomb. Each decision provides different dialogue and sometimes a unique cutscene, which intrigues gamers and encourages exploration through each level. When I came back to play after my first session, I could not load my original saved game but was not even frustrated when I had to start over.

It just meant I got to explore things I hadn’t the first time around.

The labyrinth style puzzles and adventures also provide an exceptional gaming experience. As you progress through Silence, you get more challenges and puzzles, and none of them are ever the same, forcing you to use your brain and think outside the box. There are also short little mini games throughout your journey that break up the ultimate storyline and keep it interesting. You wits are constantly tested, and you have to become intimate with the characters to figure out how to succeed each challenge. 

My favorite missions were when you were simultaneously engaged in challenges with both Renie and Noah. You could complete Renie’s challenges first, and if you got stuck, you could use the magical spying bird to fly over to Noah and complete his challenge. This way, it prevented me from yelling at myself and calling myself an idiot for not being able to complete a challenge. Instead, I could just work on another quest while I de-stressed and regained confidence in myself. It provides an anger outlet and prevented me and probably many other gamers from simply giving up and turning off the whole thing. Besides the dual challenges, the clues, in general, are also uniquely incorporated into the character’s dialogue, and the hints help to provide the perfect mixture of frustration and success to keep you sane as you progress forward. 

Pulled from multiple cultures, the world of Silence is relatable to anyone.

In the world, there are Greek, Roman and Japanese elements, from the storyline to the characters, that all mix together to create an exquisite universe. The dream world is beautifully designed and surprisingly believable for a mythical world with singing rocks, evil seekers, and a shape-shifting worm. The graphics create a dreamy environment and makes you really seem like you’re in an alternate reality. The characters are all convincingly drawn and the creatures you encounter become increasingly more complex and exciting.  Even the soundtrack is worth noting and makes you feel as if you are listening to an orchestra playing in a Broadway or theater show. Combined, these traits all create a well-developed world that is fun for any adventure-seeker to explore.