ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree

An epic adventure inspired by Norse mythology. A heroine sets out to discover the truth about her father's disappearance, exploring beautiful hand-drawn lands along the way. The battles, fought to dynamic soundtracks (think Guitar Hero), provide a unique experience where each battle is a deadly ballet between Estra and her enemy. A real treat.

Everyone knows about rhythm and puzzle games, but ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree, developed by Wildboy Studios, deftly combines the two genres while also including a layer of adventure inspired by Norse mythology.

You play as Estra, the last of the Atori, a group chosen by Odin to protect the kingdom of Midgard in his absence. The adventure begins during a celebration in the village, where Thyon, one of the main characters, shares his unease.

On your quest, you will be guiding Estra through a tainted Midgard armed with her father's axe and pendant that gives off a blue light, accompanied by a spirit in the form of a frog.

We liked the plot that was filled with twists, and where the choices you make have a direct impact on how the story – and Estra's destiny – plays out.

You will need to help Estra distinguish right from wrong, decide who she can trust, and choose to fight or negotiate. These decisions shape how the story progresses and can lead to different endings. Choosing to negotiate with a potential enemy, for example, might open up new paths and alliances, while opting to fight can lead to deadly confrontations.

We loved the innovative combat system based on rhythm games like Guitar Hero. Each battle is accompanied to a unique track composed by Luminist, an electronic music artist from Australia, and you'll need to press the right buttons in time with the beat if you're to defeat your enemies. This rhythm-based combat system brings a fresh, dynamic dimension to battles, making each and every one a unique and immersive experience.

During one pivotal battle, for example, you'll need to face a fearsome enemy by synchronising your actions with an intense electronic tune. The buttons cascade down the screen, and you need to press them at the right time to pull off your attacks. And take care: mistakes can be expensive!

The game is also packed with a variety of puzzles. Some of them give you a few tries, while others can only be attempted once, and they affect how much characters trust you and which events you will face. A puzzle might ask you to move runes to open a secret passage, for example, with each failure reducing your chance of receiving some valuable assistance later on. The puzzles are always different and are never that hard.

The game also features hand-drawn 2D graphics and boasts its own polished style.

Our tip to help you on your way? During the circle puzzle, you just have to pay attention to the flow of water in the top right-hand corner of the screen. There's a little feed that shows the answer inside the graphics... X = 2 and Y = 1.

So, if you're a fan of Norse mythology and innovative games, ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree more than deserves your attention. Get ready to be immersed in an adventure where your every decision counts, and each battle is a symphony of strategy and rhythm.