Asfalia: Fear – A Wholesome and Family-Friendly Sequel

Asfalia: Fear - Key Art

“Don’t give in to your fears. If you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.” – Paulo Coelho

Overview

Asfalia: Fear is a brand new game from Funtomata, and a sequel to Asfalia: Anger. It follows a young boy named Charlie as he is transported to the fantastic world of Asfalia to face his fear.

Developer: Funtomata
Released: 14th January 2025
Price: £6.99

Platforms: Windows, Mac
Available on: Steam
Engine: Unity

Asfalia Fear Screenshot - Meeting a Ghost

Narrative

This instalment of the Asfalia series begins in a playground where Charlie is playing with his four puppies, Bosco, Lexie, Bandit, and Laika. They are all having a jolly time until a storm hits and the puppies get scared and run off into the trees. Charlie follows them into a forest, but the darkness, turbulent weather, and thoughts of his lost companions soon get the better of him – cue fear! He quickly finds himself transported back to Asfalia, a strange land and metaphorical depiction of emotions over which a shadow has fallen.

The narrative is a wholesome and family-friendly exploration of fear. It is told mostly through the dialogue but also through the gameplay itself, as well as visual indicators. Charlie’s adventure sees him meeting some wonderful, quirky characters such as a cheese-loving vampire utensil named Kniferatu, Lily the flame, sibling vultures, and many more. All of them have distinct personalities and want or need different things from Charlie. The developers have also included a few fun references to the first game which is a nice touch.

Asfalia Fear Screenshot - Ghost Invaders

Gameplay

Asfalia: Fear has gameplay that is, unsurprisingly, very similar to the previous instalment. However, it is about twice as long with a full playthrough taking around 3 hours, and does expand on the original gameplay and mechanics. It is a fairly traditional point-and-click in terms of the gameplay, although the inventory does not need to be interacted with as items will be selected automatically when players try to use the relevant object within a scene. The sticker-collecting mechanic from the first game remains and helps give the player a further sense of progression and achievement in an enjoyable way.

There are a lot of classic inventory puzzles, but the game also includes stand-alone puzzles that involve things such as connecting wires. Charlie is given a wide range of tasks from the various NPCs including finding lost data discs, delivering birthday party invitations, and repairing a cat statue, all part of his path to rescuing his lost puppies. The gameplay is not very challenging, and it is clear that this is intended as a family-friendly experience. However, the ease of the puzzles does not detract from the satisfaction or the fun provided by the game as a whole.

New elements include things such as Lily (the flame), who becomes Charlie’s companion in Asfalia, sometimes requires him to find moonstones so she can rekindle herself, or she may need ‘charging’ which entails a short clicking mini-game. There is also a mini-game called Ghost Invaders which is a fun retro-style space shooter that is being played by one of the NPCs.

Asfalia Fear Screenshot - Wire Connecting Puzzle

Styling

Asfalia: Fear uses a cute, soft, cartoon-like art style that utilises a vibrant but cool colour palette. There is a nice use of gradients, mostly for background objects such as trees, that creates a mythical look, whereas other elements use block colours, more rigid patterns, and some light textures.

The music is gentle and pleasant with an air of mystery, and suitably increasing in tension and drama to match the various scenes and moments within the narrative. It conveys a range of emotions effectively whilst maintaining a whimsical feel. The soundtrack utilises piano, woodwind, and twinkling noises amongst other instruments. The sound effects are implemented well to enhance immersion and convey elements of the scenes such as rain, thunder, and playground toys creaking. Additionally, the voice acting is top quality, giving life to the eclectic characters that inhabit Asfalia.

Asfalia Fear Screenshot - Charging Lily the Flame

Summary

Asfalia: Fear is a great addition to the point-and-click genre, it is a brilliant sequel to the first game whilst also building upon the earlier instalment with exciting new mechanics and other additions. 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. The game is made especially enjoyable by the delightful art style, whimsical and eclectic characters, and the emotive but relaxing soundtrack.

I thoroughly enjoyed this game and its mix of casual but engaging gameplay, the gentle approach to exploring emotions, and the silliness which adds humour but also keeps the overall experience light and not too overwhelming for young audiences. There is a lot of meaning conveyed through the various aspects of the game but this is done with balance and accessibility in mind. I am more than happy to recommend Asfalia: Fear 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.

Looking for more family-friendly games? You may also like these reviews:
Garden Buddies – Casual Crafting, Wholesome Games, and Self-Care Tips!Lil Gator Game – An Utterly Adorable Alligator AdventureThe Lost Dachshund – Rescue an Escaped Puppy in this Cute Free Game!

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