“Don’t waste your time in anger, regrets, worries, and grudges. Life is too short to be unhappy.” – Roy T. Bennett
Overview
Asfalia: Anger is a wholesome point-and-click game that follows Charlie as he explores the land of Asfalia, a mysterious and fantastical representation of emotions.
Developer: Funtomata
Released: 23rd January 2023
Price: £4.99 – £6.69
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android
Available on: Steam, Google Play
Engine: Unity
Narrative
Asfalia: Anger begins when Charlie arrives home from school to find his dog Baya hasn’t eaten and does not want to play with him. His lack of understanding causes him to feel anger at this situation, at which point he is transported to Asfalia, a strange land and metaphorical depiction of emotions. He explores various quirky scenes and the narrative is largely delivered through these visuals as well as the delightfully written dialogue of the eclectic bunch of fun and cute characters he meets.
Gameplay
Asfalia: Anger draws on classic point-and-click gameplay in a very accessible way. Players have their expected inventory but do not need to interact with it as items are selected automatically when using the relevant object within a scene. The puzzles are very straightforward and it is clear that the game was created with a younger or family audience in mind. The game remains satisfying, however, as the tasks are fun and enjoyable despite their simplicity. The gameplay and narrative tie together nicely to create a comprehensive and complete experience. The addition of 51 collectable stickers adds to the gameplay and the overall sense of achievement.
Charlie is given a wide range of tasks by the charming NPCs, all of which should lead to his end goal of giving a drawing (which the player gets to create) to a volcano which should facilitate his departure from Asfalia. The jobs include fixing a key for a hermit dwarf, stopping a fishy disco at the base of a cactus that finds it itchy, and removing a teapot from a lava stream so a teacup can see some salmon! The silliness is rife, but never feels over the top or out of place and blends well with the other aspects of the game.
Styling
Asfalia: Anger uses a cute, soft, cartoon-like art style that utilises a vibrant but slightly pastel-toned colour palette. It has a subtle, digital watercolour feel to some aspects whereas other elements use block colours or more rigid textures. The music is pleasant, dominated by gentle piano tunes, and consists of a delicate variety of tracks that suit each scene very well without ever feeling overwhelming or too intense. The sound effects are charming and aid with player immersion, and the voice acting is brilliant, really bringing each of the characters to life.
Summary
Asfalia: Anger will take around 60-90 minutes to complete with all collectables and provides decent family-friendly gameplay for a reasonable price. The puzzles and overall gameplay are fairly simple and casual, but a lot of fun. This makes it accessible to younger audiences without being boring for parents or older players. The narrative is equally accessible being easy to digest, relatable to a wide audience, and also offering a little life lesson. Additionally, it is delivered in an entertaining way with top-notch voice acting, strange but adorable characters, and a charming aesthetic.
I found this short point-and-click game very relaxing, enjoying the silliness and the way it is used to convey something with some meaning and I’d happily recommend it to anyone looking for a chilled-out game to spend an hour with, but also to people looking for something to play with their children – this is perfect for that. Also, for anyone who enjoys this game, the developers are releasing another instalment in the series, Asfalia: Fear in mid-January 2025!
If you enjoy whole point-and-click games you may also like these reviews:
Shindig: A Wholesome New Point-and-Click Adventure – Boxville – Point-and-Click Puzzle Game Meets Animated Film – Mutropolis: Brand New Archaeological Adventure set in the Year 5000!
