Embrace is a pixel art platformer with three haunting levels. With breathtaking artistry, fluid animation, incredible music, challenging gameplay, and a compelling story, the only thing that gives away that this was a student project is how short it is.

Created as a final project, Embrace is the work of Aya Oikawa, Maya Abramovich, Itamar Citrin, and Idan Shalom – known collectively as Iami Studios. The music was composed by Ariel Mersel.

Musical and Artistry Blend Beautifully

Mersel’s score sets the mood of the game perfectly, fluidly. As you’re playing, you may not even realize when the music changes. Each level’s tune is a progression of the music that came before. Variations on a theme. A new movement of the same piece. It is hard to describe the feeling it evokes without urging you to play the game for yourself. The music is a part of the game, in a real, tangible way.

As amazing as the music is, the art in Embrace is phenomenal. More than once I simply had to sit and take it all in. It is technically magnificent, visually engaging, and cinematically breath-taking. It is the main vessel through which the story’s main themes of duality, loneliness, and fear are communicated.

Fair Controls

The controls are smooth and intuitive. You’re introduced to the movement in a fluid way as you move through the first few platforming puzzles. This continues throughout the game. Every additional mechanic and obstacle build on what we’ve faced thus far. Each section leads into the next with ease. The game plays fair with you, even though it doesn’t pull its punches. You will die, but you won’t be set back far.

Confronting Oneself

Embrace’s story is a simple one: a lonely girl longs for escape. Why? It is not explained, nor does it matter. The themes and implications speak for themselves. You see it in the mirroring of the first level, the stark black and white flashes of the second, and the desperate chance of the third. Our player character must confront herself, Embrace herself, in order to free herself from… from what? Her own mind? We do not know.

My only complaint with this game is that it is too short. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to finish. Given that this was a final project for a degree, created from scratch by a small team, this degree of polished, tight gameplay, riveting story, and sheer artistry is absolutely incredible. The length of the game is no reason to complain, or dock it any points. However, it is my fondest hope that Iami Studios continues to work on it.

In Conclusion

Embrace is a fantastic platformer with unique and engaging mechanics, jaw dropping art and music, and a gripping story. If you even have a passing interest in the genre, I highly recommend giving it a try.

Embrace is available on PC and Mac on Itch.io and is completely free.