From the moment we saw Silt, we thought we it was something special and intriguing. Now that it’s out, we took a look at the PlayStation 5 version of the game, which is being released for all major platforms.
Developed by Spiral Circus Games and published by Fireshine Games, Silt is one of those games that immediately makes a statement with its visuals and setting – this is an indie game, and it’s not afraid to be different. The game’s black and white style is reminiscent of games like Limbo, but its underwater setting – which explores a dark and alien world, feels very unique. Silt is also very rich in atmosphere, partly because of the excellent almost pencil-drawn visuals it has – and the ominous soundscape that backs up the on-screen horrors.
Silt doesn’t have much to give in terms of a narrative, but its challenges are largely intuitive and self-explanatory. You’re a diver, and you have the supernatural ability to possess and control some of the life forms around you – each of which has a specific power you’ll need to overcome (mostly easy) puzzles. Possess an eel and you have the power of electricity, or use a crab to break through something – thus helping your diver along on his adventure.
In most scenes, what needs to happen is fairly self-explanatory, so Silt is an adventure that can feel on rails at times – even though it captivates the player for its three hour campaign. We only had one or two cases where a puzzle didn’t feel entirely logical, but even those didn’t halt our progress for very long.
The game isn’t perfect though – its short running time and limited replay value don’t help, and despite playing on a PS5 we experienced a few moments where the visuals stuttered. Surely we haven’t maxed out Sony’s current flagship console already, right? We’re hoping this one will receive further optimizations post-release, because it’s worth the journey.
If you enjoy atmospheric puzzle platformers, Silt offers something similar yet different. We recommend playing this with a good pair of headphones or with the speakers turned up for the best possible way of experiencing the game, as this doesn’t break much new ground with its gameplay but delivers a memorable journey nonetheless.
Score: 7.8/10
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