Al Crepuscolo VR is a relaxing game featuring beautiful, stylized art and an evocative music track for an emotional journey through a pristine landscape. A playthrough is around 30-40 minutes.
From the product description
About the Experience
Al Crepuscolo (At Dusk) is a pleasant way to spend a half hour or so. There are no goals, but rather nice music and magical flourishes along with a strong feeling of nature (though stylized). If you’re looking for a relaxing app along with a little exercise for your arms, this might be for you.
As you paddle down the stream, you’ll be greeted by deer, foxes, rabbits, and other creatures running alongside you or presenting themselves. They’re never a threat and they just make it feel more surreal.
You get started after arriving in a meadow and being told that you’ve received an invitation to a magical forest. It doesn’t represent anything specific that you need to do, just take it in and enjoy it.
Graphics and Sound
What stands out about Al Crepuscolo is the art style. As a fan of the game Firewatch, I love the reduced palette and hyper-stylized artwork. It immediately creates a mood and makes it clear that this isn’t a simulation or a real experience. This is a fantasy world of nature and peacefulness that you can visit anytime.
In addition to the graphics, a gentle soundtrack plays in the background. It’s composed for the experience so complements it nicely. There are also sounds of water as you paddle, the calls of various creatures nearby at times, and magical effects. They all work together to create the enchanted world they promise in the description.
Information Content
n/a
Navigation and Interactivity
The extend of interactivity is the rowing. You can choose how close you get to shore or if you want to get a little closer to various animals, though you can’t interact with them any more directly. There’s no narrative and no choices to make. I suppose you could sit in one place and let things go by, but I didn’t test that for very long.
As you approach the end, the music and effects crescendo into a more magical experience with sparkles and light trails. You see more shapes around you and are lifted into the air. Finally, there is some sense of the journey being complete and it fades away. No score, no timer. Just put on your headset and enjoy it for a bit.
Updates and Support
None expected
Summary
Relaxing music and beautiful simple imagery. Animals that do their own thing as you pass them by. It sounds like a pretty nice day in the water. At its current price of $4.99 it might be a little steep if you don’t expect to enjoy it more than once, but definitely worth it on sale. If you like calm, stylized immersive experiences, then this might be for you.
Pros
- Lush colorful graphics
- Relaxing score
- Nicely done animals
Cons
- Magical elements are a little much (depending on your taste!)
- Possibly pricey for a single playthrough
