sU and the Quest For Meaning

If you’re in the mood for a unique platforming adventure with an original take on movement and momentum, then sU and the Quest for Meaning will not disappoint you. A game that’s entirely centered on how the player interacts with the physics that govern the game’s environments, this is a title that’s all about relaxation and finding your zen.

Even if some of the action of the game can feel a bit disjointed, the overall experience offers players a unique experience that’s hard to replicate in any other indie platformer. As long as you don’t expect a challenging game, and are in for just a leisure ride in a charming game world, then sU and the Quest for Meaning might be the game for you.

Jumping and Floating

If we had to condense the title’s entire design philosophy into a single word, that would be “fluid.” Most of the game’s levels involve the player navigating a windy expanse that allows them lots of opportunities to enjoy the game’s remarkable jumping mechanics. The game is so good at making it seem like these jumps are possible without taking advantage of the physics engine that it almost feels like cheating.

From a design perspective, some elements of sU and the Quest for Meaning seem like they were inspired by the popular Alto’s Adventure. Even the game’s main character has a passing resemblance, but there’s a reason for this particular design choice: it evokes the same sense of fluidity and motion that most of the game is built on.

When it comes to the controls and the overall feel of the game, sU and the Quest for Meaning goes for a floaty approach to platforming that just feels right in the grand scope of things. You won’t have to worry too much about where you need to go or what you have to do to reach the end of a level; instead, you can simply focus on moving around and enjoying the scenery and the perfectly-tuned controls that the game has to offer.

Endless Platforming

Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of sU and the Quest for Meaning – other than its name, that is – is that the game offers an endless collection of levels. And while some of the design choices that make up the core gameplay may seem somewhat familiar, there’s no denying the fact that the overall feel of the title is refreshingly different.

While there are some puzzles to solve and levels to explore, there’s no denying that sU and the Quest for Meaning is more of an experience than it is a challenging platformer. Granted, there’s nothing wrong with this approach, but players looking for a challenge that’s similar to, say, Celeste, might miss the challenge.

All that said, sU and the Quest for Meaning does a great job of providing players with a relaxing experience that offers lots of opportunities to play around and discover new things. It also doesn’t hurt that the soundtrack is absolutely fantastic, either.

Pros

• Fluid controls and dynamic physics
• Endless levels
• Tons of gorgeous environments

Cons

• Some levels can be confusing at times
• Lacks some sense of challenge