About Elise

Scientists are usually the guys working hard in order to make humanity better and advance our understanding of certain topics, but sometimes they can go off the reservation as well. There have been a few cases throughout history when scientists engaged in human experimentation, which is not a pleasant thing when the subjects are not willing participants.

About Elise is a first-person adventure game with a focus on puzzle solving and exploration. The experience is short and rather underwhelming if you are used to the finer things in the genre, given the fact that there are no complex gameplay mechanics, but then again this might be a selling point for newcomers. The story is pretty intriguing and nicely presented as well.

Thus, it all revolves around a man by the name of Owen Scott, who is kidnapped along with his daughter by some shady people and kept in a strange facility. The reason for this kidnapping is the fact that both he and his daughter have special abilities, and in Owen’s case, his talents allow him to sense and avoid danger. Naturally, it’s worth wondering how he got kidnapped in the first place if he can feel danger, but that’s a different story.

As mentioned before, puzzles are the quintessential gameplay element, because that is what you are doing most of the time. Thankfully, the developers have really put some thought into the riddles you are presented which, so it’s not very simple to unravel them most of the time. Other than that, your task is to navigate the environments and avoid a few traps along the way, which is simple enough.

Lastly, the game can be immediately identified as an indie production if you take a look at the graphics, because they look pretty rudimentary. It’s obvious that the level designers have given it their best, but the textures and the lighting effects don’t really cut it in this day and age. On the other hand, the visual component is not very important, which is why you can still have tons of fun with the game.

All things considered, About Elise lacks the content and the polish needed to become a memorable game, but it’s definitely an enjoyable experience. Thus, it’s worth a shot if you are a puzzle lover and are not easily dismayed by poor graphics.