Game Review: Cions of Vega (Xbox Series X)

Walking simulators… they can be some of the worst games you’ve ever played or some of the best, depending on the story. The only thing that is important in this regard as gameplay is often so very limited.

Developed by Tonguc Bodur and Eastasiasoft Limited and published by the latter, Cions of Vega is every bit the walking simulator you’d expect, but if you’re willing to spend a bit more time with it, you’ll find a story that is atmospheric and interesting.

Alas, the game doesn’t do a great job of encouraging that, and aside from some minor puzzle elements, sticks to type rigidly.

You play a silent protagonist whose daughter has gone missing and along with your brother, must search the wilderness to find clues about her disappearance. Clues that point to something much more mysterious and much more sinister going on.

On this front, Cions of Vega does a good job. It feels dark and foreboding, and as more clues are found, you really get the sense that this could turn into a horror game. It never quite does that, aiming more for subtly, but it does create a decent amount of tension.

Unfortunately, to fully experience this, players are going to have to go off the beaten path a little bit and the game isn’t great at encouraging this. It is a very linear walking simulator, and the game never tries to really encourage a more in-depth look into your surroundings. Even with the achievements, which could have been worked better to reward exploration.

Mainly though, it’s because everything feels so stark and empty. It’s good for creating an eerie vibe, but not good for anything else. Least of all the inane natter of the main character’s brother, Logan, who cuts through the silence with long-winded and mindless narration. Stuff that ends up feeling like padding, rather than an important aspect to the story.

The same goes for a handful of characters you meet, who are mainly there to give you hints towards puzzles. Although, there’s nothing particularly challenging here. A minor speedbump in your exploration, but also short enough and spaced out enough to not become tedious.

What is tedious is the same thing that is often tedious in walking simulators and it’s the walking (although you can run) with very little happening. It’s a pretty enough game when it comes to backdrops, but character models are a bit off, and no-one ever looks like they are actually there. Case in point, the moment where Logan comes running out the bush like it’s a Doctor Strange portal.

Likewise, the audio both impresses and disappoints. The environmental noise and subtle soundtrack fits well. However, the wooden voice acting is less impressive.

Basically, for every step forward Cions of Vega takes, it then takes another back. Resulting in it being just another average walking simulator that can be completed in under an hour (20-25 minutes if you’re fast). It has no replay value and will leave no lasting memory. Meaning it’s only worth picking up if you fancy earning a cool 1000g in a short amount of time.