Chariot (Wii U)

Game Info

I’ve had my eye on Frima Studio, Inc’s Chariot for quite some time now.  I remember seeing it announced and some of the gameplay trailers that showed off the unique 2D world and platforming elements throughout 2014.  I was disappointed when the game launched on the PlayStation 4 and I was stuck waiting for the Wii U version to come down the pipeline.  But as they say, “Good things come to those who wait.”

Chariot tells the tale of a recently passed King and the quest of his daughter and her fiancee to find him the proper burial site.  Now we all know a King should be buried with as much gold and riches possible.  You must guide the Chariot that the King lays on through the caverns and against looters all in the attempt to reach your destination.  The story is told through some excellent voice acting and some humorous dialogue.  Hearing the fallen King’s grumpiness and greediness even after he passes will crack you up and sounds familiar to the personality of Scrooge McDuck.

The gameplay will have you pushing, pulling and even riding atop the chariot to navigate the catacombs and tunnels.  The physics of dragging the chariot up to the next cliff are awesome and feel very well done.   The puzzles in the early levels are light but the in the latter levels the difficulty ramps up.  The controls are simple yet complex enough to make the actions you have to do seem natural.  For instance, to pull up the rope you would use the R button and to give it some slack you would use the L button.  You also have an attack button to use later on when you need to thwart off looters but this isn’t a huge part of the game as they only really steal treasure from you and offer no threat.

There are collectibles and level specific gadgets to help you through the adventure.  After you complete a level you will unlock a time trial mode which has access to online leaderboards as well.  Chariot’s 25 levels can be played completely in local co-op mode and also it takes advantage of the Wii U GamePad’s off-screen play capabilities.   To me the local co-op was the way to play this title as it is near impossible to obtain some of the treasures going it alone.  It takes some getting use to playing with a buddy, but once you get it down there is some great fun to be had here.  Going back to single-player after you’ve played the title co-op seems like you are missing something and how are you suppose to use the high-five action if you don’t have a partner?

A few minor complaints I had with Chariot would be the lack of an online multiplayer and that some of the game feels like it was designed for two-players.  I get that they were going for the old school couch co-op feel but in this day and age EVERYTHING should have online multiplayer as an option.  The lack of a second player sometimes results in not being able to get a treasure and having an online mode or designing it more for a single player could have fixed this

The visuals in Chariot are very pleasing on the eyes.  It has a nice cartoonish 2D art style and reminded me of Steamworld Dig or Teslagrad in that regard.  I like the mix up in colors too as you progress through each of the games 5 different areas.  The music is very subtle and takes a more ambient approach and makes you feel like you are spelunking around caverns.  The voice acting and humor is top notch and help drive home the quirky but comedic story.

The Recommendation

In the midst of the 2D platforming revival it’s hard to make a product among the masses that really stands out.  Frima Studios accomplishes this feat with Chariot and it is a pleasant game to experience.  There are a few minor flaws such as the lack of online multiplayer and the level design with co-op in mind, but these are just minor and don’t really detract from what was a great game.  If you like old school couch co-op platforming then look no further and pick up Chariot today.