FE

A pint-size polyglot is the star of Zoink Games’ magical new adventure

What a mysterious departure from the norm for Zoink Games. The Swedish studio’s previous output has been limited to irreverent 2D games such as Stick It To The Man and Zombie Vikings. But Fe is something else entirely. Fittingly, its titular creature is a spiky outsider in a strange polygonal forest full of animals, where exploration is inextricably linked with communication. Skittering fauna, phosphorescent plants and an ethereal score immediately captivate: a deer calf freezes out of what might be fear, or curiosity. Fe carefully approaches. Then, it opens its mouth.

What follows is a gorgeous little gurgle that tails off into a kind of low-pitched growl, a noise designed to soothe. Produced by lightly feathering the trigger, the sound radiates from Fe in milky waves and is immediately endearing. The deer seems to like the babyish cooing, too, breaking into operatic reply. “There is definitely the idea of a child in Fe,” says Hugo Bille, creative director, as the two animals share a conspiratory crackle of lightning to signal their bond. “That helplessness is a big part of its character. It’s capable, but small and ultimately vulnerable.” Indeed, the adventure is inspired by the devs’ unsupervised childhood jaunts through Nordic forests: giddy experiences coloured with fear and wonder.