LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias is the sequel to one of WiiWare’s most acclaimed titles to date. As a platformer with a focus on puzzles, Lost Winds: WotM really is a welcome addition to a somewhat lackluster WiiWare lineup. In the game, you are tasked with taking control of not one, but two characters. The first is Toku, a boy who is trying to save his mother. Helping him is Enril, the wind spirit, whose powers enable Toku to face the challenges ahead.

Gameplay

Toku is controlled with the nunchuk. As you might think, the analog stick is used to move Toku around the environment. And that’s about it. Aside from pressing the “Z” button once in a while to save or interact with an object, that’s all Toku can do. Where things become interesting is with Enril. The Wii Remote pointer takes the form of Enril. Using the onscreen cursor, you directly control the wind in the game. Pass the cursor by some trees or grass, and watch the foliage blow in the breeze. More importantly, Toku and enemies can also be affected by the wind.

Is there a ledge Toku can’t reach? Use a couple of air currents to lift him. Are there enemies bearing down on you? No problem. You can literally blow them away, or simply trap them in a vortex. It is these and a couple of later upgrades you will use to solve most of the games puzzles.

As someone who had never played the first game, but always been interested in it, I was excited to get a hold of LostWinds’ controls. At first, it was a bit difficult getting used to hitting Toku in just the right spot to raise him to a ledge. But soon, after learning the feel for the game, it became second nature. The problem did not go away for good though, mostly caused by times when I was rushing to do something quickly.

One shortcoming of LostWinds 2 is the absence of opposing forces. Sure, there are enemies you encounter that attempt to hurt you, but there is not much variety and almost no change of tactic by you. I never really felt in danger while playing through the game and did not lose any lives. That being said, combat is definitely not the focus in WotM.

The strength of the game lies in it’s puzzles. Navigating the land and the mazes built into it are what comprise most of the gameplay. There is even a bit of Metroid-like design as you revisit areas with new upgrades. The main new twist introduced in the second LostWinds is the ability to change the season from winter to spring. So while you may not be able to get into a cave because the lake is frozen, simply change the weather to be more suitable for a quick swim.

The puzzles are not too difficult for the most part, but the complexity does ramp up rather well. Near the end of the game you will be surprised at how long it will take you to get from entrance to exit.

Graphics & Audio

The magical nature of the LostWinds world had me intrigued from the beginning. I don’t think the technical prowess will win any awards, but I do enjoy the art style and it suits the game well. It’s simple, clean design with bright colours does invoke a mythical feeling in the environment that is not unlike a Zelda title. There is more to this world and I want to see it.

I also really enjoyed some of the little touches in the game. The sound design is not groundbreaking, but when you hear a gust of wind as you move your cursor about the screen, it does add a bit of authenticity. The same can be said for waving branches. One touch I really like was helping Toku as he is pulling himself up a ledge. Let him be, and he’ll get up just fine himself. But if you want to help him, wave past him and he’ll be pushed into a roll before he can stand.

Value

For 1000 Nintendo points, LostWinds: WotM will likely last you around 4 hours of playtime. Maybe a tiny bit more if you’re a completionist. After one playthrough, you probably will never pick it up again. At a cost to playtime ratio, it’s hard to say that LostWinds: WotM is not worth the money. After all, using the same ratio for full priced games would mean that most disc releases should last 24 to 28 hours, and we all know that’s not the case. Still though, the overall package does seem a bit too cut and dry when it’s over.

Conclusion

LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias is a great “in-between games” game. It is undoubtedly one of the best titles I’ve played for WiiWare and can hold it’s own against offerings on other consoles. The gameplay and story are a little more succinct than I’d like, but I suppose that’s the aim of downloadable games.

While this title shows great promise and gameplay ideas, I really hope the next game in the series steps it up a notch. Whether that be as a full retail release, or just a bigger game for a bit more money, I think LostWinds is itching to expand.