Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) offers a narrative-driven adventure experience with a “walking simulator” design in a first-person perspective. Developed by Unreliable Narrators, based in Québec, Canada, the game is set in the 17th-century land of the maple leaf. Although it lacks combat elements and features limited interaction, this debut game from the “unreliable narrators” evokes a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of Life is Strange in its design concept.
The game experience immerses players in two narratives from the perspectives of two different characters. The game begins with Jeanne, a young French woman on a ship to Nouvelle-France for her wedding, who ends up shipwrecked and stranded in a wild land. The other character is Maikan, an Innu hunter native to this region, with limited knowledge of the people and the world beyond his homeland.
With its storytelling-focused gameplay, Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) offers minimal interaction typical of a ‘walking simulator’ design. The game beautifully depicts a slice of Canada’s wild nature during the French colonial era, which is astonishing considering it’s an indie game and even the debut creation of the developer Unreliable Narrators. From the snow-covered forests to the serene nightfall, every scene is rich in artistry.
The artistic style of the game evokes the feeling of exquisite paintings, with detailed depictions in every scene you experience, featuring the two main characters. Even the voice acting is well-invested, although some characters’ dialogues occasionally fall short of conveying the immediate emotions of the moment. My only gripe is that the game doesn’t allow you to fast-forward or skip dialogues, forcing you to listen to the characters’ conversations.
As previously mentioned, Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) is a narrative-driven adventure exploration experience that somewhat evokes Life is Strange in its design concept. The game develops an interaction system where players’ decisions lead to different consequences, thereby vividly illustrating the personalities and growth of the two main characters, Jeanne and Maikan. For instance, at the beginning of the experience, after Jeanne wakes up, she wanders across the beach to understand what has happened.
Only later do these decisions reveal their clear consequences, but due to rather vague notifications about the changes, you might not even remember your previous choices to understand how they contributed to altering the character’s perspective. For instance, at the start of Jeanne’s journey when she spots a large shadow from afar, if you choose to hide instead of shouting for help, the game will indicate that Jeanne becomes more manipulative.
In contrast, Maikan is a young hunter. Upon discovering the skinned carcass of a wolf, he feels a deep sense of outrage at the offensive act. Players will follow Maikan as he seeks those responsible for this brutal deed. His journey leads to a shipwreck and introduces new characters, filled with misunderstandings and suspicions. Similar to Jeanne’s experience, the player’s decisions will shape Maikan’s worldview.
The experience of Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) is divided into different chapters, allowing players to alternately control two main characters. This storytelling approach enhances narrative elements and character development, enabling players to gain a deeper understanding of each character’s perspective and worldview. On the flip side, it inadvertently makes the game’s narrative somewhat confusing and can easily disorient you due to the alternating shifts, similar to various choices.
Personally, I believe that Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) evokes a similar feeling to Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna), as it uses the gaming experience to introduce indigenous culture to players. The game features a mechanism called Codex, which provides detailed explanations of legends related to characters and locations, along with various activities within the game. It also offers a wealth of historical information about the people and places you interact with during the experience.
In the end, Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) delivers a memorable storytelling adventure rich in cinematic quality. Not only does it offer an engaging narrative intertwining the distinct experiences and perspectives of Jeanne and Maikan, but the developers, Unreliable Narrators, also weave in numerous messages that highlight each character’s struggle within the harsh realities of 17th-century historical context.
Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) is now available for PC (Windows), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.