Holidays are supposed to be relaxing, but that definitely hasn’t been the case for Alex, the protagonist of Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island. Between being caught in a storm, shipwrecked and washed up on a mysterious island, she’s also found herself in the company of some distinctly idiosyncratic people. Not only are they named after the Grecian gods, they’re all suffering from an unhelpful bout of amnesia, which, for someone who just wants to go home, is downright infuriating.
Still, Alex has the kind of can-do attitude that many game protagonists have, and instead of sitting about in the doldrums, she sets about exploring the island, discovering what makes the inhabitants tick, and hopefully figuring out a way to get herself back home.
The interesting thing is, the inhabitants of Ambrosia Island actually are the Greek gods of myth, they’re just not quite as you’d remember them. Polygon Treehouse present to us their take on the gods, which is to say, they’ve been modernised and reimagined, opening up questions about the nature of godhood, of the passage of time, and of character through the lens of modernity. That sounds overtly serious, and Mythwrecked isn’t a ‘serious’ game, but it is one with charm, gentleness and compassion – a perfect antidote to this season’s crop of calamitous blockbusters.
Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island is the epitome of a chilled, cosy experience, and it’s easy to fall into the routine of searching the island, discovering new residents and helping them with their missing memories. Unlocking a memory has to be one of the game’s highlights, combining some joyous animation with further information and introspection from that character. Your first companion is Hermes, the messenger of the gods, but he’s lost his sandals and his satchel, relying on you to return them to him.
This is where you get to utilise the height of Grecian technology: the Ambrosidex. While there’s no Pokémon here, you are attempting to catch all the gods’ memories, and there’s a map, an inventory, and further lore for you to dig into within your device. Crammed in alongside, it also functions as a radar, bleeping away when you’re coming closer to a god’s lost items. With Alex’s quest to get home, and her commitment to helping the island’s residents, it is basically essential and helps to keep everything organised while you explore.
Hermes isn’t just good for spilling a few memories out of his winged mouth, he also helps you to fast travel around the island via Portal Doors, which you can unlock by swapping Ambrosia fruit for the corresponding key. Given that you’ll be collecting these fruit without even thinking, it’s a fair trade. He’s not the only one who’s after some fruit though, so you might want to balance out who you’re giving them to, at least to begin with.
Every one of the gods here is suffering from amnesia, and to build their trust in you, they each set you a task. These tasks in turn bring life back to the island, resurrecting the landscape and returning it to its former glory, while strengthening the corresponding god, and your relationship with them. Gods are always after offerings, and it just so happens that Alex is a kind and helpful soul who’s willing to do the legwork for them.
You soon settle into the rhythm of discovery and exploration, and though there are few actual puzzles, the island itself is one huge conundrum. There are myriad interlocking parts that you have to put together in a certain order to progress, and it’s a gentle gameplay loop that easily whisks away the hours.
That doesn’t mean that Ambrosia Island isn’t without its mild frustrations. Just like a real-life visit to a foreign place, you often have little idea where you’re going, and you’ll meander back and forth across the increasingly expansive island in search of various landmarks that you just know you’ve seen fifteen minutes before.
Thankfully, there is a map, and hopping in and out of it will point you in the right direction, though it won’t provide you with all the answers as to how to get there, and where precisely the thing is you’re looking for.
The soundtrack reflects the laid-back vibes, with your exploration set to plaintive acoustic guitar and the constant sound of waves crashing against the beach. There’s much more to experience here as well, with unlockable cassettes lying around the place, each with their own ditties, and there’s a ridiculous number of opportunities to sit and listen wherever there’s a tape deck and some comfortable cushions. In many ways, this is the heart of Mythwrecked, ensuring that you take your time, ease into it, and consider exactly why you’re here.
While Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island runs smoothly throughout, the audio levels are occasionally off-kilter – seriously, these are some LOUD sound effects, and the transitions between different areas can result in a less than enjoyable audio hiccup. There’s the option to turn different elements of the audio down though, which solves many of the issues, and hopefully these rough edges can be rounded off with a patch or two.