Unravel PS4 PlayStation 4 Reviews Round Up 1

Yarny, the now iconic Unravel protagonist, stole hearts at E3 last year – and he's about to, well, unravel his inaugural yarn on your PlayStation 4. EA opted not to send us this one, so you're going to have to make do with other assessments until we post our own. The response seems mixed, mind – as you may have anticipated.

Destructoid - 10/10

Unravel cherishes the best moments in life while recognizing the hard battles we sometimes face as families, all wrapped up within delightful gameplay and stunning scenery. The atmosphere is so compelling that I couldn't help but feel like a piece of my own story was wrapped up in the game with the rest of the photo album. It's rare but a special thing when a game manages to impart a story that touches strings deep in the heart, and Unravel manages to meet and exceed this feat. Get ready to have all the feels.

Games Radar - 4.5/5

There's a bittersweet edge from the get go but Yarny's adventure continues, Journey-like in a way that'll gnaw away at the soul you've hidden carefully away. Compared to the cold sterility of a puzzler like The Witness, Unravel is where all the heart lives, and there's nothing our futile cynicism can do about it. Ironically, this is a also game that - with its beautiful recreation of the natural world - might just drive you to pop down the controller once it's over and go outside and make some of those moments for yourself.

IGN - 8.3/10

Unravel took me on a surprisingly thoughtful and reflective journey, which encouraged me to appreciate the small and the insignificant with every step. As a puzzler it has charm due to Yarny's engaging skills, but as a platforming experience it's less remarkable. But to judge it solely on these mechanical aspects would be to overlook its greater achievement: the way it provokes subtle and complex emotions through the use of nature and nostalgia. It all makes for a sincere, warm-hearted, and extremely likeable adventure.

Metro - 7/10

Developer Coldwood claim that Yarny's adventure shows the ties of family, and how they become strained as you move further away from home, but although the visual allegory doesn't really evolve beyond that it still works to give the game a serious, emotional edge. It's not the sort of thing you'd expect from EA, a platformer, or indeed any game where the protagonist is made of wool. And although it does hit a few snags they're not enough to unravel the whole experience.

God Is a Geek - 5.5/10

Delve past the picturesque views and thoughtful soundtrack and you'll find a puzzle game that doesn't explain itself enough and is plagued by inconsistencies. There are brief moments where things start to come together, and there are some superb moments that are drowned out by frustration. I could fawn over the characterisation of a ball of wool all day long, but I probably wouldn't have time because I'd be too busy trying to figure out one of the many rage-inducing conundrums.

Will you be enjoying EA's epic yarn this week, or have these reviews unravelled your interest in the puzzle platformer? String us along in the comments section below.