Ib from PLAYISM and kouri is a remake of the original creepy 2D adventure game, not out on Nintendo Switch. Learn more in our Ib review!
Ib from PLAYISM and kouri is a remake of the original creepy 2D adventure game, not out on Nintendo Switch. You’ll be taking on the role of the titular young girl who visits an art gallery with her parents for an exhibit of works by an artist named Guertena. You’ll get to see art pieces such as Taste-Cleansing Tree, Worry, Lady Talking with Newspaper, Death of the Individual, or Reserved Seat. All was going well… until you realized that you were alone. While searching for someone to help her – anyone, really – she sets out to explore the museum, which starts to change for no reason whatsoever.
The museum is dark and lonely, and creepy, and it’s also full of puzzles that you’ll have to figure out and solve as needed. The original version of the game was released back in 2012, and since it’s now 2023, Ib is getting a graphical overhaul as well as some extra bells and whistles and quality-of-life improvements. You’ll have to figure out what item can help you move a step closer toward salvation, and your actions and the choices made along the way will matter as you get to one of the different endings that Ib has to offer.
You’ll control Ib with the left analog stick or the D-Pad, interacting with objects or characters by pressing the A button. Pressing the B button will allow you to check Ib’s inventory so that you can check what items you’ve collected. If you press the Y button, you can zoom in on the screen, which will certainly make it easier to spot some of the smaller items. You could even decide to continue playing the game while in this new zoomed view. You can have conversations with your companion as you try to escape from the museum. Who knows, this might allow you to get some hints about what you need to do next!
I can’t talk a lot about the game since it might end up spoiling your enjoyment of the game, but I will talk a bit about the first handful of puzzles you’ll have to sort out to progress a bit further. You’ll find a hole in the floor that is a bit too wide of a gap for you to jump over it. Maybe if you searched nearby, you might be able to find something that can help you cross. Doing this will have you taking a painting of an ant that was hanging on one of the walls, with the hint being a tiny glowing ant that was walking around talking about its painting.
Once you go back to the whole on the floor and interact with it, Ib will place the painting of the ant, which will form a very useful bridge that you can just walk over to the next room. After entering the room, you’ll find a green key that you need to open the door that was next to the ant painting you took from the wall… a green key that, who knows why smells of fresh leaves. Unfortunately, once you grab the key, a red mannequin right next to it will come to life and will start chasing you!
Ib is a remake that improves on the original from 2012 while staying true to kouri’s intention of giving us a game that can be enjoyed even by people who are new to video games. This is the definitive version of the game thanks to the graphical overhaul, along with new items and new puzzles to enjoy. It won’t be for everyone since it’s a creepy horror experience – see, for example, running past a window, only to have a shadow suddenly bang on it – but if you give it a chance, you’ll spend a delightful handful of hours with this one. Ib is out on Nintendo Switch at a $14.99 price.
Disclaimer
This Ib review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by PLAYISM.
