Aspire: Ina's Tale. Obscure sci-fi games you may not have heard of

• Obscure Sci-Fi Games You May Not Have Heard Of (And That's a Shame)
• Aspire: Ina's Tale
• Valley
• Primordia
• Transistor
• Axiom Verge
• Sable
• FAR: Lone Sails
• Cloudpunk
• Finding Paradise

Aspire: Ina's Tale

Released at the very end of 2021, the tiny independent game of the debuting Wondernaut Studio is a genuine piece of art, not limited to a rigid genre structure and drawing inspiration from both fantasy and science fiction games. The plot isn't very complicated, but the questions about the nature of the Tower that the heroine traverses and her relationship with it that becomes clear during the game are enough to rivet you to the screen for the entire playthrough.

Futuristic landscapes smoothly turn into a scenery straight from the craziest surreal animations. Each location has so much charm that it's impossible not to stop and admire the beauty of Ina's Tale from time to time. The design of the main character is also spot-on. Simplicity is paramount, but this is by no means a disadvantage of the game.

More than a month after release, Aspire: Inas Tale is still hardly discussed at all. But I'm sure that sooner or later the production of this tiny studio will get the recognition it deserves. Because despite some shortcomings in terms of interface and gameplay (you usually just go straight ahead, from time to time using Ina's abilities, discovering memories or solving very simple logic puzzles), it is one of the most beautiful independent games of this type.

1. Aspire: Ina's Tale in our encyclopedia