‘Manairons’ from “Jandusoft and 3Cat” is a 3D action platformer game set in the Pyrenees. The description from the store page reads: “Help Nai face off against the landowner who took control of a charming village”. I haven’t spent a lot of time in this genre of game, hence I am looking forward to seeing what I have been missing.
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Loading in, you are advised that you will have a better experience with a gamepad. To my surprise, rummaging through my computer desk, I found my 10+ year old wired gamebox controller, plugged it straight into my PC and began working! You play as Nai, unique to the Manairons; she is connected to you, the player, via magical essence.

You talk Nai into escaping, as Llorenc, the ruler of the Manairons, holds the magical canut, weilds too much power, and works you too hard. Hearing another of Lloren’s commands, Nai decides it’s time to break free from the village of Vilamont. Manairons is essentially a puzzle game; there is no tutorial as such, but the developers work you into the game slowly.

You start with the ability to jump and crouch, and as you progress, you are shown how to vault and climb, though the climbing can be a little finicky at times. Further into the game, you are introduced to evil Manairons and are shown how to swing your magical flute as a weapon. Speaking of the magical flute, you use it for various interactions throughout the game.

The visual effects and the musical notes coming out are a nice touch when in use. As different types of evil Manairons are introduced, you are shown how to dodge and also the block function; it’s a neat little system rather than overloading the user all at once with keys and keybinds.

The basic inventory system shows the various collectable objects you can find on your journey. The devs have hidden various objects throughout the map; you really need to hunt and think about how to get to some of these, which is separate from the main story. The inventory also shows you the songs you have learnt on your musical flute, which are used throughout various stages of the game, and which mission you are up to or have completed.

There is a basic health system for when you battle various objects, hit spikes, or those mouse traps that keep getting me every time. At every checkpoint in the game, after most major puzzles, Nai will sit in the lounge chair, save the game, and restore your full health.

​The graphics and the atmosphere of the game are second to none; it can only be described as beautiful. It has a great depth of field, allowing you to move laterally around the screen to solve puzzles. Some of the puzzles can be quite complex, especially the circuit ones, where you need to adjust multiple battery circuits to get a main switch working. Tips for new players: colours and patterns are important.

I didn’t like how you couldn’t move the camera to look above you when you are moving through the more complex levels. However, I did like it when you jumped; there was a circle underneath you showing your projected landing spot.

The developer has really gone above and beyond in creating the map environment: the cobwebs, shadows, and the props really draw you into believing you are in this fantasy world with Nai. The storyline hasn’t been forgotten either; it completes the journey, tying it all together. For example, we meet our first disgruntled villager, Pere Mas, a chicken farmer who helps us get to the village.

Before he helps Nai, he wants help to remove one of Llorenc’s creations: a metal rooster in his henhouse controlled by the evil Manairons. There are many more of these stories along your adventure, but I won’t spoil them all; they are just beautifully intertwined throughout the game, which keeps you engaged.

The music in the game is very fitting and works well. All the sound effects feel relative to the size of the objects and characters in the game, which is a nice touch. Those mouse traps always scare me, with their large snap, as you will find out soon enough.
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Overall, Manairons is a top-tier 3D action platformer game. If this is your genre, it is a must-play. Even if it isn’t your go-to genre, you won’t be disappointed. It’s all here: the beautiful graphics and the well put-together storyline combine to take you on a journey. Even after the frustrations of falling 20 times and getting back up and going again on the same puzzle, it really is an enjoyable experience and the true definition of a cozy game.

Written by: Mike Bridge