Velvet Assassin is a game that builds its details around a nature of quietude—in its imagery, in its protagonist, in its ability to sneak up on you and crawl under your skin. Even when it loses focus and is overextended and rigid, there’s too much to the experience that...
Let’s halt that thought. A proper, filled out review was initially in place for Velvet Assassin, but unexpected events occurred that suggested a more spontaneous approach to my discussion of Velvet Assassin.
A friend of mine who makes games asked me what I think of Velvet Assassin, and I told him I was incredibly impressed by it—a cult classic in the making. But we discussed everything he thought he wouldn’t like, then I balked: could I recommend Velvet Assassin on such a high level? Is it really that good? There were moments in the game of captivation and suspense, of spot-on gameplay notes and remarkable visual design. Here is a game that creates a period, a dreamscape, and I was in it.
We discussed: why not express what I experienced, put my loose feelings out there, and play the game through a second time and go for part two next month. Sounds good to me.
I entertain this approach because Velvet Assassin made me think about what I want out of a gaming experience. There are more sharply honed and louder games out there, but Velvet Assassin, in its tattered glory, is what I was captured by in subtle ways that deserve deeper exploration. It can’t match the remarkable nuance of Metal Gear, or the depth of craft some people clamor for. The stealth mechanics are constrictingly linear, but the consistency of design is impressive and firmly engaging.
Assassin Violet Summers is quite lovely as gaming characters go. The reach for sex appeal is distracting in such a solemn and tragic world, but the bump starts to soften the further you play. This World War II figure is a surgical killer; it’s guttural and effective guiding her into a kill, watching her pull the knife on a soldier.
Violet is only a small player in a vast world. The visual space is the real star of the show. And this is where I find the game a personal attraction. In an earlier mission in Paris, you are tasked with a boss hit, shotgun at the ready—this isn’t all stealth—and to get to the target, you wind through a bell tower, its storied stained glass windows meeting you at the top. It’s a fantastic sequence.
Here is where my friend calls me out. He argues, “Who wants to play in such a claustrophobic space? There’s such limited gameplay potential there. I want more choices.”
I want more games that follow the path of Velvet Assassin.
To be continued...
score 8.0 out of ten
verdict Velvet Assassin’s strengths are in its quiet, richly framed version of a World War II inside the head. The stealth mechanic is very specific and rigidly pattern based, but it presents its scenarios incredibly well.
Please note: if you have come to this page via Metacritic, please click this link before posting a comment. Comments posted after directly coming here via a Metacritic link are currently not showing up properly.
Words
