“Explore, harness magic, and guide the wayward through harsh and unchecked lands. Atmospheric locations full of unique puzzles that you can challenge in any order you choose. Piece together the truth of a long-forgotten civilization in this stunning puzzle platformer.”

Will O Wing‘s trailer instantly enchanted me. Not only are the music and visuals from Studio Null Games‘ puzzle-platformer absolutely stunning, the premise is right up my alley! I’ve been following the game for a while, and when I saw the demo was released, I played it immediately. Here’s what I found.

Spirited Away to Play

Will O Wing‘s demo primarily acts as the game’s tutorial. The player travels across a forest and canyon, guided by a soul, while collecting charges along the way. As new obstacles are introduced, so are new abilities, such as transforming between shepherd and spirit, teleporting through walls, and so on. With each new ability, a puzzle is presented to the player to help them understand how to use it. Once you reach the final temple, there’s the option to stop or continue playing, either to collect the remaining charges or to explore. The first playthrough of the demo is roughly 30-45 minutes long, although on a second playthrough I completed it in 10 minutes.

What I quickly learned is that transforming between shepherd and spirit is a must. Since each form has access to different abilities, you can’t progress as just one. This makes the gameplay feel very dynamic. Teleport upwards as a shepherd, transform and double jump as a spirit, and you’ve reached your destination. It takes a little bit to get used to the controls, but once you’ve got it down, you’re golden. And as the synopsis promises, there is no combat, only platforming puzzles. They were tricky but not impossible to figure out, doable but very rewarding to complete.

A Demo Full of Soul

The art style and animations mesmerized me in the trailer, and even more so in the demo. The colors and designs of the protagonist’s forms and the game’s world are visually lovely and spark intrigue. I see the symbols glowing above the temple door and the different beastly statues lining the hallways, and I want to know more. The animation is beautiful and clearly done with love. Little details like the shepherd’s wings on their cloak fanning out behind them when they move, the shepherd and spirit forms both having a wobbling animation when they get too close to an edge, even the specks that trail behind the soaring soul; all of these show how much care and attention was put into the game.

Will O Wing‘s music is beyond incredible. Studio Null Games revealed in a YouTube short, How Will O Wing made its soundtrack extra special! that their composer, Scott Holmes, created GuyEngine V2, “a VST plugin used to make retro sounding video game music with thousands of hand-crafted samples.” And Holmes uses retro music to its full potential. Synthesized instruments and beats create enchanting tracks that both amplify the mysterious feel of the world and bring a sense of nostalgia that is only brought on by retro game music.

Considering a line from the game’s Steam page says, “You carry a mysterious mystical bond to long-forgotten ruins,” I theorize this surprising sense of familiarity could be purposeful. The motifs for the title and area themes are strong and clear, and I see potential for phenomenal storytelling through music. I also really appreciated the “Stay and Listen” option at the main menu, which allows the demo’s three soundtracks to be played at will. I most certainly took advantage of that.

Still Spreading Its Wings

There is room for refinement. The cooldown time between ability usage didn’t feel consistent, which made completing a puzzle difficult when you couldn’t learn how to time abilities with each attempt. The transition between shepherd and spirit isn’t always the smoothest, and given how integral transforming is, it can really hurt the gameplay. I also found it frustrating I was unable to look up or down to view more of an area. It’s nice to be able to look at what’s to come or to take a second look at a tricky part later in a puzzle. Not being able to do so did not enhance my experience. However, these are easy fixes, and the rest of the demo far outweighs them.

The Soul Needs No Words

There is something else that really stood out to me. If the tutorial is anything to go on, Will O Wing will be a master of “show, don’t tell.” There is no dialogue or written direction throughout the demo, except at the end to thank the player for playing. Instead, the control that corresponds with an ability or movement appears once when it’s introduced and placed at where it’s meant to be used, and then it’s up to you from there. For those who are tired of hand-holding in games, this will feel like a breath of fresh air. And for those who appreciate “show, don’t tell,” this could hint at something very exciting.

I see nothing but potential for Will O Wing. If they go in the “show, don’t tell” direction and accomplish storytelling through the environment and music, which I have faith in the developers pulling off, Will O Wing could really be one of a kind. But even if that’s not the direction it goes, I’m still beyond excited for the full release and what’s to come! This is a game I am really, truly looking forward to playing, and I plan to do just that the moment it comes out!

Will O Wing‘s demo is available to play on Steam. To stay up to date with Will O Wing news, follow Studio Null Games’ website and YouTube channel.