Worldless unfolds in a realm where the rules of existence are still undefined. In this mysterious setting, players start on a journey through a shapeless world consisting of two realms. One realm is populated by entities shaping their development and understanding, while the other signifies the aspirational destination they seek. This narrative propels players into a conflict against opposing forces, engaging in a profound battle for superiority.

Worldless is a 2D platformer with a minimal, breathtaking, and cosmic aesthetic combined with turn-based combat. Essentially, it’s an adventure where you explore a serene and expansive space filled with platforms, silent fields, and mysterious plants. As you wander at your own pace, you’ll find value in understanding the game’s physics by taking your time with each jump and navigating different elevations. Embrace the fun of exploration, simply zooming around in Worldless can create huge enjoyment.

The inventive fusion of turn-based combat and platformer in Worldless doesn’t reduce the challenges typically associated with platformers. In fact, as the game progresses, the combats become notably more difficult, especially in the later stages. I’m not a particularly skilled player, nor am I a hardcore platformer enthusiast, making the combat in Worldless far from easy. It requires concentration, quick reaction speed, and even risk management skills to defeat the various enemies the game throws at you.

Despite the difficulty, I find myself enjoying most of the combat in Worldless, especially during my numerous attempts to beat a challenging mini-boss. Thankfully, Worldless doesn’t send you back to the last checkpoint when defeated; instead, it only throws you out of the aggro radius. Is it frustrating? Absolutely. But the sheer joy felt after finally beating an enemy with a perfect block or becoming more proficient at navigating between platforms outweighs the frustration.

If you fail several times in defeating an enemy, no worries! It’s an open world, and all you need to do is wander around and gather some level-up materials. Returning with a solid defence and additional combat skills can make all the difference. Re-challenging difficult enemies and zooming around the map might seem repetitive and boring in other circumstances, but not in Worldless. The beautiful, wabi-sabi-styled game scenes, along with the simple yet solemn soundtracks, ensure an immersive gaming experience.

Worldless does lack more detailed and clear gameplay guidance. The map UI was especially a bit challenging for me when I first started. As someone relatively new to platformers, it took me a while to understand how the map in this game works. However, I believe there are valid reasons for the simplified in-game tutorial and guidance. One obvious reason is the minimalist nature of Worldless’ art style and UI design, requiring a sacrifice of textual content to achieve the harmony of a consistent gaming experience.

While combining turn-based combat and platformer elements is a promising idea, a sudden entry into combat mode where my character is forced to slow down feels a bit abrupt to the overall gameplay experience. It just felt a little less exciting, which I believe might be crucial to Worldless’ replayability.

However, the above nitpicks don’t stop Worldless from being an exciting release. A good game is defined by many things, often including a well-structured and delivered story, incredible world-building, and memorable characters. The notion of a good video game is also simple: a remarkable and unique experience, something that Worldless undoubtedly offers to players.