When a game has puzzles, it can be fun. When the game has a certain theme to compliment the puzzles, it becomes a real joy to play. And I am happy to say, that if you like your games to be a joy to play, then Rangi from Developer Funsoft and published by Digigo, just might be the joy you have been searching for on the PlayStation VR.
One thing you will notice about Rangi is how beautiful the world really is. The African inspired paintings, buildings, and even sound gives you this calm and inviting feeling. I know in VR, we get to visit different worlds, but something about Rangi kind of makes me want to live here.
In Rangi, you will be playing as Guruki and it is your job to restore the world to make sure it has a perfect balance it once had. What happened you might ask? The ones called the Matata who steal the sound. These interrupters have stolen the Chuckwu away from the Giants. If you do not help solve the puzzles and restore the balance, then you just might start hearing the last drum beat as it fades away and classifies itself as obsolete.
But the land is not without hope. No no. The old men who sing to unlock the mysteries of the Matata and of the one who will return the Chuckwu to the Music Giants. It is now up to you…your destiny has been told. You must do what is right, what is in your bloodline and restore this balance.
But you will need a tool to help you with your puzzle solving. So grab your Dual Shock 4 Controller or grab the Move Controllers and start your journey. I used the Dual Shock 4 Controller and it may seem a little strange in this way as when you have the PlayStation VR headset on, you will see your staff that you will use to help solve the puzzles. Some may find the Dual Shock 4 Controller the easiest or some may find using the Move Controllers. For me, I liked using just the one Move Controller as it seemed to have that natural fit when using the single staff you will be using.
There are a variety of puzzles here. From simple to the more complex. Some puzzles will have you moving platforms, connecting light, and even connecting multiple lights to help restore the balance. As you get more into the world, the puzzles do become more involved from escaping walls with spikes to saws that move. The harder puzzles seem to really add a sense of importance that I really like in puzzles.
Now not all the time will you be doing puzzles, sometimes you may just need to teleport to get around. In the parts where it may seem more dangerous when you teleport it requires you to be able to teleport quick. The one thing I wish was a little quick is the angle turning. If you don’t turn quick enough, it just might be game over. It sometimes can be frustrating when you have to restart the level all because your turning was not the quickest it could have been. But don’t give up and keep trying. I mean this is your destiny and the Old Men have been singing about you. So don’t be the one to make the Old Men stop singing.
With the cell-shaded world that has this beauty to it, the variety of puzzles, the immersiveness, and the sound that will just talk to your soul, Rangi is a welcome to the puzzle genre on PlayStation VR. Sometimes we have a certain expectation when it comes to the games we play, but sometimes, just sometimes it’s when we go into a game without any expectations that are the ones we have the most joy in.
Rangi is out now on the PlayStation VR and is also available on the Oculus Rift/S, Oculus Go, Gear VR on the Oculus Store, Steam, and on Daydream on the Google Play Store. A review copy was provided.
To learn more about the Rangi and Funsoft please visit the site and like them on Facebook. To find out more about Digigo Games, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
In case you missed the trailer, please enjoy. Until next time, I’m going to go back and just enjoy the world of Rangi.
Mr. PSVR, March 14, 2018, theplaystationbrahs.com
