REVIEW : Summer in Mara (PC)
Games are a famous form of escapism, and never more so than in the prevailing lockdown climate. Rather than the identical four walls you can explore whole new limits and experience distinctive worlds. While this is usually done in the name of violent experiences or the destruction of foes, seldom it’s nice to just take a pause from routine and try out a unique way of life. Summer of Mara presents a completely violence-free escape from virus and offers a delightful burst of sunbeams.
Summer of Mara sees you take juvenile orphan Koa into the traumatic loss of her adopted grandma and her newfound obligation as Guardian of the sea of Mara. The backstory is relatively superficial and certainly far from original, filled as it is with predictions of chosen ones and unknown destinies. Luckily, for the most part, this remains committed to the background and doesn’t conflict with the rhythms and routines of island management.
There are obvious nods to Disney’s Moana with the seafaring and maritime mysteries, reverberations that are pleasantly nodded at when you start moving rescued livestock back to your island.
To start with, your home island is a fairly wild place, with extreme planting spots and torn down pet shelters. Bit by bit you recover control of the space; planting orchards, restoring gardens and digging for minerals and construction materials. This beat is followed by a well-structured series of machine upgrades and a constant input of original recipes for cooking and crafting. The first several days will be spent beginning this process of taking back control whilst you wait for the true adventure to start.
Graphically, Summer in Mara is lovely. Colours are bright and eye-grabbing, providing a real understanding of the tropic paradise of Mara, whilst everything is sharp and well defined. This may appear like an obvious point but it helps when you’re looking for particular mineral deposits or special fruits in your harvesting. There is a clear correlation to be made here too, although Mara is performed at your own pace rather than relying on scheduled days. The inhabitants of the various islands of Mara are all interestingly drawn, with some humans, some marine influences, and a couple of cat people. There are one main town and a couple of islands with individual occupants and the characters that directly affect your experience all have very different beings.
Travelling between the islands is astonishingly reminiscent of Windwaker and is a pleasant experience. Each square of the picture contains one island as well as fishing spots and diving places. Your searches are limited at first until you unfasten larger engines so there is no risk of being overwhelmed. The sequence of these limitations and the clear upgrade path through various questlines gives a strong structure that will enable younger members to work through the game without becoming lost. It is a little too scripted but is enjoyable.
Another aspect in which Mara feels like a classic fit for more youthful gamers. That being said, there is still a requirement to juggle crops, manage stocks, and plan your payments to work through the numerous tasks and requests. This will help to bypass moments of momentum selling disappointment. Luckily, you’ll usually have at least five or six questlines uncovered at a time, so a roadblock in one doesn’t inevitably mean a resultant grind.
The beats of planting, harvesting, feeding your creatures, and travelling the seas are the foundation for the game mechanics and are mostly satisfying. The addition of a view invert option in the most current update was a major. Alongside these movements, there is a nicely crafted story that includes some poignant moments of character interaction and a surprise or two.
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