At this point in late-stage capitalism, we’re as receptive to the opportunity to indulge in a spot of anti-corporate rebellion from the comfort of our living rooms as the next slacktivist. As such, the hook of this 3D platformer from Mexico’s Wabisabi Games is immediately appealing. You’re punkish graffiti artist Valah, who has taken it upon herself to challenge the autocratic regime of bald Bezos/Robotnik hybrid Mr Buff, painting over propaganda and destroying the mechanical minions of B Corp to bring vibrancy and self-expression back to the futuristic Cap City.
Even without any kind of threat, you would need little impetus to get to work. This urban dystopia is all stone and steel, grim slabs of ugly brutalist architecture in shades of grey that practically beg to be sprayed in gaudier hues. And before you take aim at the walls, you leave a vibrant trail underfoot. By pointing her spray can at the ground, Valah unleashes a seemingly infinite supply of paint upon which she can surf, the slick surface speeding her between digital displays which she covers in beautiful cartoon graffiti, which appears to pulse in time with the throbbing EDM soundtrack.
Unlike your slippery floor art, these more elaborate designs require additional spray cans, but these are in such plentiful supply that unless you’re actively ignoring the smashable crates that lie along your path, you’ll seldom find yourself short. In any event, these pieces produce waves of artistic energy that spread outward (their area of effect dependent on the size of the screen), destroying anything in the immediate vicinity. You can top up your paint supplies without trying, in other words – and perhaps also take down any B Corp automata foolish enough not to scuttle out of range.
These enemies cover several familiar archetypes. Bog-standard robo-crabs are joined by variants with energy shields over their heads and, later, larger kinds that require several whacks before they collapse. Meanwhile, static bots deliver radial and spherical blasts or surround themselves with laser barriers. The feature they all share is that they’re easily dispatched: hovering over most enemies does the trick, since Valah sprays downward automatically while clinging onto friendly drone Ayo, while her melee attack has sufficient range to clock a bot as it prepares to pounce or when it’s mid-lunge. You occasionally need to watch for projectiles fired by the odd floating bot with squidlike tendrils, though grappling up to these will disable them.
Despite presenting little real threat, these hostiles serve a dual purpose, giving you something to think about during platforming sequences while providing another way for Valah to top up her Defacer gauge – which builds with just about every action. When filled, she can skate faster and jump farther, her boosted momentum reflected in the soundtrack’s increased volume. We’ve seen this techn
