LostWinds

    Though they’re a developer with a heavy background in the theme park tycoon genre, Frontier Developments has brought about one of themost atmospheric title’s the Wii has seen in LostWinds. Combine that with intuitive Wii controls, you’ve got yourself a steal for $10 (1,000 Wii Points.)
    The story in LostWinds begins with your protagonist, Toku, waking up to a bit of wind. Soon thereafter he falls off a cliff and picks up a stone that holds the world’s Wind Spirit inside. That’s all fantastic, but sadly this is about as exciting as the story gets. The Wind Spirit tells you the story of how it’s hard out there for a Spirit, and what peril the world is about to face due to the escape of the most diabolical insect looking thing ever. Very generic, which is really unfortunate, as the organic setting could have benefited from having some kind of emotional attachment to Toku.
    Speaking of the setting, the atmosphere this game creates is second-to-none in my book. It’s not just the calming music, the way the world reacts to your gusts, the natural wind audio, or the games art: It’s how every piece of the atmosphere’s puzzle compliments the others. Now let’s get something straight: this game does not create the conventional atmosphere that a BioShock fashions, as seeing the protagonist from the third person fundamentally removes you from the environment. Still, the rural Japanese tone is something to behold.
    To control Toku’s movement you will be using both the Nunchuck and Wii Remote. Move left or right with the analog stick, and when jumping use the remote to control the winds to control Toku in the air. You’ll also be solving puzzles with the wind, which range from simply drawing a line to drawing lines, opening doors, pulling levers, and watering plants in hopes of obtaining a ball with holes in it. The controls are solid from start to finish, and they achieve something very few Wii games have yet to sniff: the player doesn’t realize they’re controlling the game with flicks of the wrist. As such, this game could only be successful on the Wii.
    There is however one not-so-minor problem. This game needs a FREAKING MAP. There are points in the game (and by points in the game, I mean for the entirety of the three to four hours LostWinds lasts) where you will be told to go to a specific location to find a certain something. While that’s not at all unexpected given the genre of game this is, there are simply not enough hints to inform you of where in Chris Hansen’s name you are while exploring. Actually, Frontier Developments are to the successful middle-aged men on To Catch a Predator as video game critics are to Chris Hansen: Frontier KNOWS their game isn’t scum, but when Sir Hansen asks “So what exactly are you doing here [without a map]?” all they can say is “We were just going t-… I don’t know what I was thinking.”
    Even so, LostWinds is a must-play for Wii owners that enjoy either puzzle-dusted 2D platformers, or games with ambiance.

Pro
    LostWinds will provide you with excitement as you venture into an interesting world that has beautiful artistic direction as well as technical merit.  The world created for your adventure is filled with cute inhabitants who seem interesting but have nothing really to offer.  The platforming is intuitive but remains fairly stale throughout the game while new abilities are unlocked but don't manage to dazzle.  The only real reason why the game merits an average score is because there is tons of promise hidden away in the game. 
Con
    If the NPCs would come to life and offer you side missions to complement the main adventure, you could have such a dandy time.  Even if they could just point you in the direction you're looking to go, saying "Hey, you're on your way to the Falls I see", the game would be so much more structure.  If each new platforming move could be fleshed out and revisited with more varying puzzles then the experience would be much more gratifying.  Not too mention the cliffhanging ending promising a sequel, LostWinds really feels more like a fraction of a real game.

WiiWare launched a day before my writing this review, and I'm so very glad the platform is finally here. Though Galaxy was great, and we're still getting some mileage out of Brawl, my family's Wii hasn't seen a whole lot of use as of late. The thing is, we still have three consoles (GCN, PS2 and Xbox, not including GBAs and DSes) from last generation, which have great libraries of games to play, and the Wii hasn't actually wowed us yet with Wii-specific gameplay. Along comes WiiWare, and LostWinds with it, and the winds of change are finally here.

You play controlling two characters: Toku, a boy samurai, and Enril, an ancient wind spirit. Another ancient spirit, Balasar – an evil menace – has escaped his imprisonment, and it's up to Toku and Enril to save the day. The story seems to be set in ancient, mystical Japan, and the presentation is, simply put, stunning. The character models are similar to those of Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, sans the cel-shading, and LostWinds is just a marvelous production to behold and experience.

Unlike many other Wii games, LostWinds actually makes extensive and creative, not to mention extremely fun use of the Wii remote. The focus of gameplay is: controlling Enril and the various wind powers she gains throughout the short adventure. You also move Toku, using the nunchuk's control stick, but it's Enril who will assist and guide Toku to various places otherwise unreachable. Along with aiding Toku, Enril can manipulate the environment around her, and it will prove invaluable for solving a myriad of clever platforming puzzles. All control of Enril is done via the Wii remote, in conjunction with various buttons, and it works pretty much flawlessly. That's not to say it's entirely easy, since getting a grasp on the various wind powers takes time to master. But the gameplay is all quite obvious and fun as heck to learn.

For the most part, the gameplay is a combination of puzzle solving and platforming, wrapped in an adventure package. All those elements are tossed together to make a really entertaining, side-scrolling experience. Yes, it's a 3D game, but played from a side-scrolling perspective. You'll be required to use the wind to have objects break gates, or to cause fire to burn down vines that impede Toku's path. Other times, you'll have Enril guide water to a patch of dirt, in order to make a seed sprout, allowing Toku to then use the plant to propel himself upward. There's a nice variety of creative gameplay mechanics, though some can be a tad frustrating until you've mastered control over the wind. Additionally, since you're often required to control an object while simultaneously controlling Toku, it can be quite a challenge to make your way through a given passage. Some puzzles are clear as day, while others rival those of Zack and Wiki. Toss in the need to negotiate various puzzles by way of platforming, and you get some interesting brain teasers that need to be worked out.

There are, however, a couple of minor quibbles with the game. Once or twice I experienced some glitching, such as having Toku end up stuck on a wall, unable to get free. In such cases, the only solution I found was to restart from my last save. That said, save points are sprinkled generously throughout the realm of the game, so it wasn't a huge deal, but of course, it's worth mentioning, all the same. However, in addition to getting stuck by glitches, there are a couple of areas in the game where you can just get plain stuck. I'm not talking about stumped, I'm talking about stuck. Sometimes you'll be able to access an area you perhaps weren't meant to get to just yet, and then not be able to make your way because you find yourself unequipped. The only solution – as mentioned before – is to restart from your last save. These issues are oversights that are unfortunate, but by no means ruin the experience. There's enough goodness here to keep you smiling almost the whole way through. The main point I can't really stress enough, though, is that LostWinds is just such a wonderful example of what Wii gameplay was meant to be.

On the presentation front, LostWinds is a lovely experience from start to finish. The visuals are breathtaking, looking better than most other Wii games currently available. The game's look is similar to that of an early Pixar film. There are a few hiccups here and there in the frame rate, but for the most part, everything runs at a smooth pace. The music and sound effects, too, are as beautiful as the graphics. Subtle taps and water-droplet sounds, Zen-like Asian themes – the game is a soothing experience, unlike your typical frantic video-game romp.

It's short, yes; my playthrough clocked in at about five hours. But the game's length is, to me, just right. I've put in over 100 hours into games like Pokemon Diamond, yet I've spent endless quarters on games that offer only a five-minute burst of fun in arcades. In my 30-some years of gaming, I've seen just about everything, and for $10, LostWinds is an incredible value. It's a game you'll easily want to come back to again and again. If you bought a Wii because you wanted the new and innovative gameplay experience the system promised, you really owe it to yourself to buy this game. Minor blemishes aside, you couldn't ask for a better launch title.

With the launch of WiiWare in the US players are finally getting a chance to sample to wares of the smaller developers we've been waiting for for a while now.
LostWinds is one of those titles that doesn't come along very often. It's a brilliant effort for a new service that shouldn't be overlooked. This game is everything many big retail games aren't.

First off let's start with controls. You control the main character Toku with the nunchuk. Toku is a small child that isn't your typical "hero". He can't fight the toughest enemies or leap the largest canyons. He's a child and as such doesn't do much other than walk. The brilliance though lies in the "second" character that you control. Enril, the Wind Spirit. With the remote you create gusts of wind or slipstreams that propel the young hero along the environment. It is also how you fight. Lock onto an enemy create a wind gust and throw them against walls or cliffs to defeat them. The controls are about as good as you can get on the Wii. They are responsive and do pretty much what you want them to do. There's not a lot of having to repeat yourself, which is a good thing.

Visually this game rivals anything you'll see on the system. The 3D backgrounds and vibrant colors contrast greatly to the drab environments you see in the biggest games out now. Bright pink blossoms, brilliant green grass are amazing to look at. The contrast is the underground environments in the game. While they are duller, and less colorful they are no less beautiful. Frontier has done a great job of bringing some character to the less pretty areas of the world. Swipe your Wii Remote across anything in the environment and they react to the light breezes you create. Do the same thing while creating a gust of wind and they're reactions change accordingly.

The music is some of the most peaceful I've heard. The soft tones of obviously Asian inspired music are the perfect tunes to listen to when you want to go to sleep. They also fit wonderfully into this game. While there aren't many different tunes, you won't get "tired" of hearing them. They're not best music in a video game of the year type stuff, but you will remember them long after you've played this game.

The only real complaint I have with the game is the lack of a map. It can sometimes be hard to remember exactly how to get to certain areas. You will do a lot of backtracking across the environments, but there are no noticable landmarks to point you on your way. Hopefully in the sequel this may be addressed.

You're not going to spend a lot of time with this game on your first play through. My final time clocked in at exactly 3 hours and 11 minutes. Not long by todays standards, but every minute of it is something you'll remember and for the $10 you pay to acquire this game it's a perfect length.

This game looks to be the first in a possibly long series of games so you very well could end up getting 20 hours of play time once you've spent $50 on the subsequent sequels.

In short, if you own and Wii and can log onto the internet you should buy this game...yesterday. Don't wait. Everyone should experience LostWinds at least once.

LostWinds stands out as one of the best WiiWare launch titles.  The game makes excellent use of the Wiimote—you use the pointer and wrist motions to control the wind, your character, and to manipulate elements such as water and fire.  Controlling your character is a breeze—you move Toku with the analogue stick, and make him perform techniques by moving the Wiimote to utilize the wind.  Your wind powers can be used in clever ways—you can float across seemingly endless chasms, blow fire from a torch onto a wooden doorway, and harness the power of water from a waterfall to produce plants that can launch you into the air towards your objective.

 

A great thing about LostWinds is that it is a game that will put your mind at ease.  There are plenty of puzzles, but none are so difficult that you’ll be banging your head against the wall.  The puzzles are initially a bit mundane, but towards the end of the game they become innovative and highly enjoyable.  It is exciting to think about what Frontier will do with the sequel.  While the puzzles are interesting, I found the combat sorely lacking.  There are occasional enemies, but none of them pose a threat to you, and are more of a nuisance than anything.  I suppose they do fit with the tranquil vibe of the game though.  The peaceful nature of the game can be felt through the music as well.  It is reminiscent of traditional Japanese music and is very relaxing.  The music suits the lush environments well.  The graphics aren’t extremely detailed, but aren’t bad considering the size limit of WiiWare games.

 

LostWinds is an enjoyable title, but may not be worth it depending on your budget.  The game is relatively short—it only took me 2 hours and 27 minutes at a leisurely pace, but the length isn’t bad considering it is an original title for $10.  If you find yourself questioning the lack of originality in recent games, check out LostWinds.

Wii Ware launched yesterday, and I couldn't wait to get home to download a copy of LostWinds. LostWinds is a 2.5D side-scrolling platformer where you control a little guy named Toku with the nunchuck, and the wind spirit Enril with Wii remote. Toku will automatically jump off of ledges and climb up things, like Zelda games, but will need the aid of Enril to boost him along. By pressing the A button and flicking a gust of air under Toku you can give him an extra boost and get him across longer passages.

The game looks fantastic. When Bionic Commando Rearmed was announced for PS3 and 360 I thought that something similar could be done on the Wii. Granted LostWinds' graphical quality isn't up to par with that game, it is still probably some of the best 3D graphics for a sidescroller that the Wii can produce. The world is bright and colorful with great attention to detail. When not aiding Toku you can move the wind spirit around to just blow a breeze through the trees or the nearby plants, all react in different ways. You will also use the wind to solve puzzles in order to progress Toku through the game. There may be a plant that needs watering in order for Toku to hop into it and have it shoot him up to a ledge. Draw a path from a nearby waterfall to the plant and water droplets will follow the gust and get the job done. Similar puzzles use fire to burn down vine filled passages.

The music in LostWinds is another great addition to the game. In the background you will hear the leaves rustling under the sound of native american flutes and other ambient noises. It is all very relaxing and makes the world that much more beautiful.

LostWinds: 4/5

For $10 LostWinds is a fantastic game. I am only an hour into it but have heard that there is only two more to go. For such a fantastic looking game I would have liked to see it a little longer. God of War for the PSP is only a 5 hour game and I paid $40 for that, so this is still a good deal. Despite it's short length, LostWinds is certainly more fun, and has a lot more effort put into it than a lot of 3rd party Wii games out there today. I can't wait to go home and finish the game tonight. A sequel has also already been announced by Frontier Development. This looks like another franchise I'll keep on my radar.

May 2008 saw the release of Wiiware, the Wii's game download service. Like the virtual console, it's accessed through the Wii shop channel but all the games on offer are brand new. Frontier Developments have produced Lostwinds for the service. Of the 6 games available on the release of Wiiware, Lostwinds was one of two games, along with Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As a King, that seemed the most like complete projects, as opposed to lightweight puzzle or high-score offerings.
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Since its announcement, concerns had been expressed as to what quality of games Wiiware might deliver: all games are restricted to a size of 43-megabytes, the hope being that this would keep development costs low and allow independent developers a fair shot at making games for the Wii. In contrast, Xbox Live Arcade downloads are limited at 150-megabytes and some developers have had to twist Microsoft's arm so as to break this limit. Anxious Wii owners, then, were worried that Wiiware titles might not really be up to much, given Nintendo's even tighter size restrictions. They need look no further than Lostwinds to dispel these concerns.

As the titles suggests, Lostwinds is all about the wind. Although Lostwinds is presented in 3D, it controls like a 2D platformer, the nunchuk analogue stick being in control of left to right movement. At the start of the game, though, this is pretty much all your character, called Toku, will be able to do: move left and right as well as climb very short walls. There is no jump button. Now, jumping is normally the crux of 2D platform games but Lostwinds gets around this as you'll see. After a brief bit of exploration, you will stumble accross Enril the wind spirit. Enril explains the plot of the game: you are on the island of Mistralis which is threatened by the evil spirit Balasar who, many years ago, was locked up by several good spirits, including Enril, who was unfortunately trapped with him. They have both escaped and it is down to Toku, with the help of the weakened Enril, to save Mistralis from whatever Balasar might be scheming. Uninspiring stuff, then, but the quality of the plot is neither here nor there. Conversations with some characters you encounter later in the game will pad it out a bit but, in all honesty, the plot just acts as a reason for the game to exist and it serves this purpose just fine. You have to search the island for pieces of the wind spirit that have been scattered, steadily increasing its power [and your abilities] to eventually overcome Balasar.

The powers of Enril the wind spirit are what really make this game interesting. It is these powers that overcome the "no jump button" problem. Once you've found Enril, holding down the A button will cause the game to enter a slightly faded, slow motion state. Drawing a line with the remote and releasing A brings the game world back up to full speed and releases a gust of wind. If the line is near Toku, he'll be taken up by it, essentially giving him the ability to jump. Shortly after acquiring this ability, you'll discover the ability to use multiple gusts in succession, enabling jumps accross great caverns where bridges have broken and the like. Thanks to this gust ability, the game world is more than a simple left to right affair with a few floating blocks, it spreads up and down as well. This makes exploration interesting and the maze like quality of the world is quite compelling: I spent my first half hour with the game aimlessly wondering through the areas available to me, just to see how it all pieced together.

As you progress through the game and discover more pieces of the wind spirit, further Wii remote controlled wind powers will be unlocked. The first of these, slipstream, is much like gust. It is controlled with B instead of A and the game slows down as described before when the button is pressed. The difference here is, though, that the lines you draw will translate to a path for the wind to take, not just a straight line gust. This is useful for directing Toku around corners and the like, as well as the simple puzzle elements of the game. You might discover a wall you can not pass with a torch above you. Using slipstream you can manipulate the flames of the torch to burn the wall down. Similarly, slipstream can manipulate water, say to make a plant grow so as to climb it and reach a previously inaccessible area. This is all pretty neat first time around, but the puzzles quickly become repeptive. Using slipstream is not hard, so the recurrence of such challenges never drags the gameplay down, but you still do feel that there might have been more variation than is actually included.
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[SIZE="1"]Manipulating fire with slipstream.[/SIZE]
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On top of the slipstream ability comes vortex: draw a circle around an enemy, as opposed to a path or line, to trap them in the air, allowing you to hurl them at something. This is also used in a few puzzles, as well as combat. Combat is by far and away the games weakest point. Once every now and then you will stumble upon small gelatinous enemies who can be defeated with a gust slamming them into the floor or a wall. It's not that this mechanic doesn't work it's just that it forces you stop in mid-exploration and adds nothing. It also cuts out the games ambient music and introduces silly drum beats. As a feature it just feels unnecessary for the bulk of the game, really.

What's important about all these wind mechanics is that they are very easy to get the hang of: Frontier have supplied the easy entry level required for the non-gaming audience Nintendo is vying for. That is not to say hardcore gamers can't find anything to enjoy here- the controls are great to use, quite reminiscent of Okami actually, while a hardcore gamer can also take real pleasure in exploring the entire game world just for the sake of it. The game's not long though, I wouldn't expect it to take more than 5 hours from start to finish. The world is littered with collectable statues, which give some incentive to play through again or play for longer first time around, but even so, Lostwinds is not a committment.

As far as presentation is concerned, Lostwinds is impeccable. Graphics wise, the backgrounds are great to look at and react to your Wii remote pointer: vegetation will sway in the wind and people will be ruffled by it. There are some nice lighting effects, a little bit of perspective blur, lovely reflections and the look of water being manipulated by the wind is great. The ambient music in the game is very pleasant, albeit occasionally ruined by the interjection of battle music. Your character, Toku, though, is completely silent. This makes him slightly soulless for a leading character. This is only a minor gripe, though, since, as mentioned, the plot is essentially irrelevant.
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[SIZE="1"]Lostwinds is lovely to look at.[/SIZE][/CENTER]

Overall impressions then. Well, Lostwinds will set you back 1000 Wii points when you download it. That's basically £7.50, or $10.00 at the price that Wii points are selling in different regions. In spite of it's length, that's great value for money. There are retail Wii games out there that are basically broken and retailing at £40. Lostwinds, then, is pretty much a no brainer. The only question you might have is whether it's worth it over an N64 virtual console download: a much longer but very familiar classic or a brief but compelling use of the Wii's software. I think, ultimately, this is the choice you are making every time you look to spend Wii points. But if ever you feel that maybe a 15th run through of Ocarina of Time is a bit much, or realise that you have the enemy patterns of Lylat Wars burned into your front cortex by now, Lostwinds is definitely a title worth playing.

4/5