AGAIN! Again I waited until the last possible moment to type something up for this week’s demo. I still have some demos that I played during Steam Next Fest, so let’s talk about a game that has a lot to do with nature. This week is Naiad.

Naiad is a puzzle adventure game from Hiwarp. The demo is available on Steam and is set to release sometime around Q3 of 2022.

You are Naiad, a being that travels through the waters. Take control of Naiad and follow them through mysterious rivers, and interact with the fauna and life in the area to uncover secrets. It is up to you to help guard the river against outside influences.

Gameplay is quite fluid. Naiad just sits in the water and you just explore the area. A big part of the game is that the player learns new mechanics from the world around them. The demo allows the player to experience swimming like a duck, which allows Naiad to quickly swim through the water. Diving is learned from the fish which is an expert swimmer.

There are secrets that can be discovered all over the river. For instance, there is a collection of loggers deforesting a certain area and if you can obstruct their activities then a reward can be claimed. It is pretty rewarding, honestly. The secrets are never really difficult to find because usually there is a sound cue that alerts the player that something is in the area. The rewards are nothing spectacular but they do give a sense that the world is reacting to your presence.

I like the look of the game personally. The water has an excellent depth of color to it, the forest is a lush green and the fauna around the edges of the river are all visually pleasing. The look of Naiad really adds to the sense that the game is more about relaxing and taking your time than rushing.

Naiad is a game that I stumbled upon randomly and I am glad that I did. It is an odd concept, but it really does that thing it wants to do good enough to keep the player interested in the concept. I really do not take the time to just sit down and enjoy a video game anymore. The last time that I sat down and really wanted a video game was probably Unpacking. Just let everything go, take your own time and swim, save wildlife and enjoy the time that you have in nature.

It’s been wishlisted.