Selfloss Is An Interactive Experience Through The Stages Of Grief
Selfloss is a thoughtful, melancholic game that follows Kazimir as he suffers debilitating grief. It takes place in a purgatory-like world where souls become whales before ascending. Or they linger until they can finally let go of their life. The world is inspired by Slavic mythology. It does a good job of explaining its lore without making players read walls of text. Which is appreciated since Kazimir is an old man and even his run doesn’t speed him up much. This feels true to the character but at odds with his ability to dodge attacks and can lead to frustration.
A large portion of gameplay takes place on a boat. It quickens the pace, but it’s a mixed bag mechanically. During moments where the waters aren’t calm, the constantly bouncing motion might lead to motion sickness. It can also be a little frustrating when the game isn’t clear about how to progress on top of having no map. The puzzles aren’t overly complicated, mostly involving using Kazimir’s staff to light up icons. Doing this removes obstacles or creates new pathways. Despite this simplicity, everything adds to the game’s atmosphere.
The technical issues do take away from the playing experience. Yet the story is gut wrenching while managing to end on an upbeat note that something new has started. The selfloss ritual is meant to heal souls, but a miasma has also taken over the land. As players heal it, even some of the bosses will thank them. Each character players meet has their own thing players must find. This gives everyone a reason to fully explore, even if that’s not their usual play style. It also makes the environment’s decline much more visceral.
Selfloss broaches dark subjects that remain impactful throughout. In large part because of just how alive the protagonist is. Constantly showing signs of his exhaustion even as he continues forward. It’s endearing and keeps the tone from growing completely hopeless. This is overall a surprisingly laid-back experience. If you can get past Selfloss’ glitches and relentlessly dour mood.
