Torn Away Review: One Foot in Front of the Other
War is, and always will be, a difficult topic to discuss. It affects all of us, even in ways that we can’t always see. Games like This War of Mine or Valiant Hearts: The Great War give players an intensely close look at the effects of war and Torn Away, from Developer perelesoq, is another brutally honest depiction of one of the most difficult times in human history.
What Came Next
Torn Away follows the story of a young Russian girl named Asya as she travels through war-torn Germany and Poland to find her way home during World War II. At the start of the game, Asya is ten-years-old and has an active imagination. While her parents are away she plays and speaks with her toys and, of course, they speak back, guiding her as she explores and thinks about her bright future ahead.
When the war starts, Asya’s father leaves to fight for the Soviets while Asya and her mother are swept away to Germany to serve in a labor camp among other women Ostarbeiters. Ostarbeiters are what Nazi Germans called those from Central and Eastern Europe who were forced into labor camps during the war. The labor is as brutal as the cold winter and, after their camp is attacked, Asya’s real journey begins.
Don’t Look Back
Torn Away, in some ways, is an interactive visual novel but it also blends elements of adventure games and side scrollers throughout its 3-4 hour play time. Uniquely, it also features a few first person moments making it a title that doesn’t pin itself down in one particular genre. During some of the slower moments, Torn Away is almost like a point-and-click title. Players will guide Asya through rooms to uncover important items or documents that pertain to the world. She is accompanied by her trusty Comrade Mitten, an old mitten with two buttons for eyes, as he speaks and narrates her journey.
There are also longer segments that are similar to side-scrollers where Asya will need to run, jump, climb and more to traverse the war torn country she’s found herself in. Along the way players may need to be careful, avoiding detection from wild animals or enemy troops looking to capture or kill her. There were times when the controls during the faster-paced moments wouldn’t work perfectly and I would find myself falling into the same hole again and again. Considering every other element of the game worked very well, I’d hardly say the slight imprecisions affected my enjoyment of the game.
The game’s first person sections may take the player by surprise at first, but compliment the story beautifully. It gives players the chance to see the world through Asya’s eyes and solidify the seriousness of her situation. It also lets the players see the game’s stunning art style even closer. Each scene features 3D levels stylized like 2D art, looking just like a painting where every stroke of the brush is purposeful.
Chase Away the Bad Thoughts
Asya’s journey in Torn Away is painful and merciless making it incredibly difficult to watch and play, but the story has been tackled so beautifully that you can’t help but want to continue. Throughout Asya’s journey she’ll be forced to grow up very quickly, learn who to trust, scavenge to survive and make decisions that only someone with true strength could do. She dreams of home, comfort and safety and players will do everything it takes to get her there.
There are many stories of war. Ones that are taught in school, taught by our parents or relatives, but there are others that we may never know about. Torn Away gives a voice to the children of war, especially the Ostarbeiters that were displaced from their homes and separated from their families. It shows that, even in a world brimming with cruelty, there is kindness, there is warmth and there is hope. It is paced very well, is great to look at and truly represents how video games can tackle difficult themes in complex ways.
Breakdown
Game: Torn Away
Developer: perelesoq
Availability: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Reviewed on PC
Pros:
+ Breathtaking paint-like graphics
+ Devastating, heartbreaking narrative
+ Unique, varied game mechanics
+ Memorable characters
Cons:
- Some wonky control moments
Final Thoughts
Asya’s story is inspired by the diaries of real children affected by the war and that is why we, as people whose parents, grandparents and great grandparents have lived through it too, should continue to tell stories like this. No matter how painful they may be and no matter how long ago it was. And putting those stories into a format like Torn Away, one that forces the player to experience each and every excruciating or playful moment, is truly amazing. It gives us a close up look and reminds us of just how lucky we are to be here today. Play it - you won’t regret it.
Review by Becca Smith