Unravel is a spool of memories and symbolism

Memory is a powerful tool.

Thoughts about our past govern how we live our lives and make choices in the future. They start off strong, freshly formed, and they fade behind us as we grow older and wiser. Memories connect us to who we are, who we were, and to the people and places that weave in and out of our lives.  Memory is a powerful device; it can sell things, conjure up emotion, and even rule the way someone lives his or her life. It can attach us to places, objects, and people we never thought possible, but above all else, memories can disappear completely. Unravel for XBOX One is a stunning, visual game that not only captures what makes a memory, but it creates an experience that almost all gamers can connect with.

We follow the journey of Yarny, an anthropomorphic thread of yarn, as he explores a captivating world to piece together lost memories in a photo album. As the tale unfolds, gamers will awe, connect, and feel their way through Unravel discovering their own personal connection with memory.  This game is the exploration of everyone’s personal journey and the obstacles we all must overcome.  With a rich story and stunning visuals, this ColdWood Interactive game is most definitely one worth playing.

Symbols on a Journey 

There are many wonderful symbols that tie the events of Unravel together.  The richness of the scenery, the haunting and enchanting score, and the items Yarny discovers are all pieces of the tapestry that weave an entrancing story. Interactions and inanimate objects serve as a gateway to unlock a simple, yet truly touching story in unspoken silence. Each of these symbols set the stage for this truly entrancing game.

Yarny: The Game's Fabric

Yarny, our guide, is our first symbol.  He is bright red, the color of passion, but mainly a color that stands out as a life force, energy. He leaves a trail of yarn wherever he goes, like we all leave a path wherever we tread.  Yarny serves as two separate purposes. The first is the Unravel metaphor that we all blaze a trail and leave one behind us, while the second is something of a connection to comfort and simpler times.

As Yarny journeys in search of his trinkets, he must use part of himself to move forward to the point where he almost completely unravels, until he finds new yarn that is. He grows as the experience takes him to new places and through dangerous territories. Life takes a lot out of us as we journey, but we always find a way to grow and remake ourselves in different ways.  Yarny shows this by using his yarn to explore his world and finding new bits of yarn to continue on. He is in constant reinvention of himself, though he keeps the same appearance throughout the game. Over time, it becomes more difficult to find yarn to build himself back up as he pieces together his memories.

Tangible Symbols

Also, much like the Velveteen Rabbit or Edward from The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DeCamillo, people often find a connection with pieces that reflect child-like wonder or bring us back to that time. These objects are inanimate, but the journey gives them life and personality we would not see otherwise.

Consider your own childhood; growing up, many children take to a toy or a blanket that provides comfort.  These items remain special to us, even after we stop using them. While each of us has a connection with a certain item, it is not the same for everyone.  Really, it is a small part of our life that provides us solace when it seems like our world is collapsing.  At times, we may seem so insignificant – like when Yarny is so simply swept up by a crow or weighed down by water, but there are many wonders to be found and even at the bleakest points, Yarny finds a way to lift himself up.

Unravel the Scene

Each level reflects a memory.  This game has some of the most incredible graphics I’ve ever seen in a game, and there is good reason for it. We are reliving these memories through Yarny.  When recalling a memory, there is always a little uncertainty that our recollection is at all we imagined it to be. We recall our memories so vividly and our brains fill in the gaps.  We will remember the visual parts as crisply as we think they were, though the real memory may not match it.

The scenes in Unravel have a life of their own, whether Yarny is walking a forest path, exploring an old car shop, or facing a terrible snow storm.  The scenery builds upon the mood in every chapter, setting the tone without having to say a word.  We feel the lighthearted joy of a fun winter’s day, while moments later we can feel its bone-chilling clutches. Each scene captures the tone and development of the story in the simple touches in the sparkle in the water or the gray sky.

While the vivid visuals give us a sense of tone, the music, too, tells a story. It guides gamers through tense moments and carefree exploration intensifying each second of game play. Both mediums capture scenes of sorrow, happiness, and mournful woe.  It couples well with the crisp imagery for a truly awe-inspiring game.

Fibers of Game Play

Unravel is exciting with its puzzle game play. There are plenty of head-scratching riddles for players to solve and many secrets to uncover. Players control

The game is not without its dangers – while there are a few riddles that require some deep thought, others are time sensitive as Yarny must escape the threats in his tiny world. Sections can be downright brutal when a player is thrown down by a gopher or gets carried away by a wind gust. Even after all of the hardships, the discovery of that carefully crafted memento, those lovely knit keepsakes, make all of the trouble worth it as Yarny cradles it close.  It is both challenging and exciting to traverse the different terrains and unfold the memories behind each piece.

Memories: Time and Space

This simple, yet beautiful game reminds us that life is full of memories and obstacles.  As we live, we leave pieces of ourselves behind and face many trials. We dig and discover our own past experiences through items, pictures, and places.  Unravel manages to exceed all expectations to tell a story that is personal, heartfelt, and worth more than a few tears.