In the beginning, there was darkness. However, a ray of light fell in to the world devoid of life. Thanks to that light, life flourished and civilizations were born. They lived in harmony. Unfortunately, as they become more and more advanced, they became greedy and wars broke out. The flames of devastation razed the planet of life, and all that the people accomplished vanished. Even so, the entities known as “the guards” decided to give the people one more chance (a brief interpretation of Teku’s Chronicles by yours truly).
Candle: The Power of The Flame is the baby of Developer Teku Studios (they named themselves after Candle’s hero Teku!). It is a game that is a kind of like a graphic adventure with platform and puzzle solving elements. But what makes Candle so special? Is it worth of your attention?
In Candle, we take on the role of Teku. His village has been attacked by the Wakcha tribe, ruthless men of war who have not only set fire to the village, but they have also taken away the village Shaman and Teku’s master, Yaqa. Our friend starts a journey full of traps, enemies, and puzzles to rescue Yaqa, using the power of the flame.
Candle’s biggest game play aspect is how Teku uses the power of the flame (like the name implies). Our hero is an apprentice shaman that has been taught to use the power of fire. He has a candle on his hand (the first time I played, I thought that I had to turn if off or Teku would die). The candle has different uses. You can light up dark places, burn things, and turn on specific objects like torches, bonfires, and the lamps scattered through the areas you pass (useful since sometimes you need to turn off the candle). They save you from backtracking to much. Also, you can use a burst skill to uncover secrets, open mechanisms, and even make some characters react to it. The candle is an integral part of the game play.
That being said, just because it’s a platformer doesn’t mean that you will speed run your way through the game. Candle takes a different approach as it is a more slow pace platformer. Teku’s movement speed is not the best, but you can run pressing ZR which is nice. With the A button, you can do the flame burst. Holding down A will turn off your candle. You can jump with B (can do a longer jump while running) and interact with points of interest with Y. With X, you can go through items in your inventory. While the candle helps you on your journey, it is worth nothing that while it’s on enemies can detect you quickly and one hit kill you (because Teku is a lover, not a fighter. so he has to use the background elements on his favor). The good thing is that when enemies are around ,Teku enters a stealth like tip toe movement (eat your heart out, Snake), so he can creep into enemies to push them to a hole or a trap (running or making loud noises like the burst can make enemies notice you). So, while Teku doesn’t have the muscle, he certainly has the brains to overcome all obstacles.
Candle is sure something to look at. To say the game looks good is an understatement. It uses beautiful water-colored art that shows the care and attention to detail put in each of the landscapes present in the game. From the forest to even cities, the art is carefully crafted. However, the most notable aspect is the actual art style itself. Not only will you be awed at it, but it is also fundamental to the game play, since there are clues hidden that are needed to solve the different puzzles you can encounter on your journey. Some of them are basic like pushing boxes or activating switches, but as you progress through the game, they can be include more actions like trading with other characters or even combining objects. There is a lot of variety in Candle, and that is a welcome addition.
Another commendable note in Candle is how the story told. The narrative is really good, and the different tribal sounds and music used show that this was a game crafted with love and passion.
Bottom Line – Candle: The Power of the Flame from Teku Studios is a game that you cannot pass on. It has a great narrative, beautiful art style, and clever (and sometimes frustrating) puzzles and game play. It is a game that deserves your attention. Just be sure to enjoy it without rushing to the end because it’s full of small details. It has been debated if video games can be considered works of art. Looking at Candle, I’m certain this is one case that can be considered like that. If you want a slow but beautiful platformer, Candle is for you. Let this flame burn bright! Perhaps it can dispel the darkness.