The Kite

As a famous Russian writer said in one of his books, all happy families are the same, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Everyone has problems, regardless of social status or financial situation, except that these problems vary from not being able to afford the latest SUV to not being able to buy food every day for the children.

The Kite is a depressing point & click adventure game in which you play the role of a woman by the name Masha as she is trying to make the best out of what she has in order to take care of her son. The gameplay mechanics are nothing out of the ordinary, since all you have to do is explore the tiny rooms and find objects that can be picked up, but the story is something else entirely.

In essence, the plot revolves around the harsh life of a family as the father has problems at work and chooses to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Naturally, he also gets violent after a few glasses, which is when he terrorizes his wife and son. By playing the role of the wife, you have to find a way out of this chaos and protect your child at any cost, no matter how high.

Besides using various items in order to advance the story, you also have to tackle a few puzzles along the way, and they are actually very well-made. Some challenge you to find certain number sequences, while others force you to think outside the box and come up with an ingenious solution. It also helps that the atmosphere is very gloomy at all times, so you truly feel the mother’s desperation.

Speaking of which, the graphics are just right for this type of game, and the level design is as suggestive as it can be under the circumstances. Each room is dirty, grayish-brown and full of old and dusty objects that truly make you part of the experience. The soundtrack is nice as well, although it could use a bit of work and more variation, because it tends to get repetitive.

In the end, The Kite is a very powerful game with a depressing story and some nice puzzles as well. It can easily make an impression on you if you give it a few minutes of your time, which is exactly how point & click adventure games should be like.