Field Notes from a Poorly Supervised Alchemist and His Unruly Clockwork Companion
Alchemy, as a precursor to modern chemistry, is among other things known for the pursuit of turning ordinary metals into gold and in a similarly almost alchemical way, the developers of this game have managed to transform it into an incredibly charming experience, behind whose appeal lies an adventure filled with warmth, humor, and chaos that easily draws you into its world.
Whenever the word alchemy comes up, the first things that come to my mind are the movie ,,As Above So Below” and games like Fear & Hunger and Elden Ring, where alchemy served as a major inspiration (maybe it’s finally time for me to watch Fullmetal Alchemist). However, The Wilds of Dacrima uses alchemy to deliver a short but interesting experience where you use potions to solve puzzles.
A place called ,,The Empire”, a Victorian inspired hub of alchemy and technology, is slowly being attacked by a deadly disease known in the game as ,,The Great Rot” (Malenia did nothing wrong!). This plague has spread across all levels of society, from princes and peasants to workers, alchemists, and even jugglers. However, one corporation believes that deep within the forest of Dacrima there is something that could help create a cure to stop the disease’s further spread. That same corporation, Potentium, sends you, an alchemist named Edric Tayte, on an adventure to explore this forest thoroughly in order to help your people by researching its various plants.
You set off on this journey aboard a flying ship that exudes a steampunk atmosphere, where you also meet your companion – a small robot named L-P1N, who will be of great help in solving puzzles, but also a source of absolute chaos and jokes at your expense.
Your first task is to repair the machine used to brew potions, as well as to find the components needed for them. To find the first component, you must remove a barrier caused by The Rot by following red roots that will lead you to a place that needs to be ,,cleansed”. After each successful mission, you use your Faxophone to report updates to your superior, Lorna Casely. Whether you will manage to find a cure, and whether there is something far greater behind this disease than you were told, is up to you to discover.
At the very beginning, the game bombards you with a lot of information, and it really takes a bit of time to get used to the overwhelming number of tasks on screen.
First of all, L-P1N and you are able to leave and return to your flying ship at any time. You are given a compass and a map where you gradually record all your discoveries, and you also have a quest marker on screen that tells you exactly where to go at any given moment. L-P1N can scan various plants, objects, and animals, giving you a lot of information that you record in your journal, but it can also serve as an excellent platform to reach certain areas. Since Edric is quite old, even small fall damage can be fatal to his bones and your health.
Then we come to potions. Each potion requires one main ingredient, but every potion also has its own skill tree that grants additional abilities, for which you must collect specific materials. Some are easier to find, while others require more effort, and if you don’t know where to find a certain ingredient, you have a track function that shows you possible locations where you can find said ingredients. All abilities are used via your glove.
The first ability called Bubble reduces all fall damage, however, through its skill tree you can further enhance it, allowing you to use geysers to reach higher places, breathe underwater, or even fly, which is extremely useful if you want to move faster through the forest or use wind currents to reach otherwise inaccessible areas.
The forest consists of several regions such as caves, temples, swamps, etc. Whenever you approach a puzzle, the game immediately tells you whether you have the required potions or abilities to solve it, which is pretty useful and I loved it.
The puzzles are fairly simple and can sometimes be solved in multiple ways, not strictly the way the game expects. For example, you may need to use the Sun ability to direct light onto crystals and plants that open certain doors. Those same plants may sometimes need to be placed in specific positions before using the Sun ability, for which Bubble combined with geysers is very useful. At times you will need to carry a Golem using the Moon ability above walls, after which it will later follow you to a platform it must activate in order to open a passage.
The Moon ability also works in a way where L-P1N acts as a magnet that can move certain objects, and it can even lift you to specific locations, as you will sometimes need to retrieve missing items or ingredients. The more abilities you unlock, the more interesting the game becomes, you can also possess certain animals, transfer yourself from one statue to another, see nearby ingredients more clearly, and more. The game is fairly calm and easy going, but it offers a very exciting ending that will definitely test how you use your abilities.
The story is genuinely cheerful and charming, although somewhat predictable. It is full of interesting references and easter eggs that will definitely make you smile. Edric and L-P1N work as a great duo and complement each other, and within just a few hours of gameplay you easily grow attached to this adorable robot. This is a bright blend of fairy tale and fantasy filled with vivid colors that create a sense of warmth while playing.
The colors and lighting effects are especially emphasized during puzzle solving, making all the magical symbols stand out beautifully. The voice acting is excellently done, portraying Edric as a goofy but ultimately ambitious and devoted scientist, although alongside him and L-P1N, you can also hear Lorna, who manages to sound arrogant and condescending, as well as quirky talking crystals and a spider that repeatedly tries and fails to kill you, which eventually becomes hilarious. The music and sound effects perfectly match the atmosphere, enhancing the fairytale feeling, especially when solving puzzles or even encountering checkpoints.
We would like to thank Antler Studios for providing us with a copy of the game for review purposes.
The Wilds of Dacrima (PC)
The Wilds of Dacrima, despite a few minor flaws, manages to deliver a short but very pleasant experience for fans of this type of adventure. Its charming world, atmosphere, and sense of exploration make it a game that is easy to get lost in for a few hours. Other than featuring a very interesting approach to puzzle solving, the game never tries to be pretentious or take itself too seriously, yet still draws you deep enough into its story that you become attached to the characters and experience a beautiful journey with an ending that will not leave you indifferent.
