Zorya: The Celestial Sisters

As much fun as gaming can be solo, sometimes it's better to play with others. Zorya: The Celestial Sisters is another of these co-op only games, requiring two players to team up via either split-screen local or online play. While the lack of any solo option limits the play value, at least it's relatively easy to get a friend into the action. For split-screen couch co-op, it's just a matter of handing someone an extra controller. For online play, all a player needs to do is download the free trial and connect with the person who has the full version of the game unlocked. One awkward thing about this though is that the game is listed in its various shops with no indication that it's just a trial. Instead, players looking for the full game need to dig through the downloadable content menus to find the "Full Game" DLC (downloadable content), retailed at $24.99.

Zorya: The Celestial Sisters introduces players to a bright and colorful world. On the surface, things look generally calm and peaceful, with Aysu and Solveig working together at their own pace. Unfortunately, in practice, the gameplay is more frustrating than relaxing. For starters, the characters don't feel very balanced in their roles. Whoever controls Aysu tends to do the bulk of the hard work under Solveig's watchful eye. Another issue that comes up involved the two goddesses' different points of view. Aysu can only safely move in the shadows Solveig's light casts. From Solveig's flat top down view, it may look like a path is safe, but from Aysu's third person perspective, it's anything but. Instead, Aysu will often find her head singed due to a miscalculation in the height. Things like this can quickly cause communication breakdowns, with frustration and raised voices taking over for calm and cooperative planning. Finally, each stage in the game is relatively short. And since getting from Point A to Point B is usually a direct solution, there's not much reason to try and replay any given stage.