When a visibly nervous Martin Sahlin took to the stage during E3's press conference earlier this week, few would have anticipated he was about to announce a title so delightfully charming it would linger in the audience's minds for just as long as Mirror's Edge and Star Wars Battlefront. Yet over the following ten minutes, despite clearly being terrified, he introduced us to Unravel - a gorgeous physics-based platformer with a playable character that seems destined to become one of gaming's famous faces. Now, having spent time playing the game, I can confirm early signs suggest it's definitely set to deliver.
The demo I played opened on an exquisitely rendered cinematic of an old woman looking wistfully out her window. From there she gets up and proceeds upstairs, but not before straightening a picture of a baby on the wall and picking up her basket of yarn. It's as she does this that a lone ball falls out and rolls out of shot. From there, our adventure begins.
The first level in the game is the lush garden shown in the trailer. As Yarny stumbles into shot he stares around in wonder, his awed gaze lingering on a butterfly. It's remarkable how expressive the character is considering his lack of facial features beside eyes, as at no stage in the demo was I unclear how he felt. It's a good thing too, as the game's story will apparently be revealed through gameplay rather than cutscenes, with Yarny's reactions serving as a crucial narrative tool. As he stumbles through levels he'll collect memories and it's these that'll give us a clue of what's going on. The two I saw were of a young laughing boy and then, later, of a man being dragged away by police. Could the story perhaps focus on the baby from the photo in the beginning's troubled life? The answers will assuredly be in the game, though Sahlin was keen to emphasise it won't be forced on players - the idea is to let you come to it rather than shove it in your face.
Gameplay is similarly smart. Within moments I'd managed to pick up the simple controls, though the various puzzles meant I was constantly finding new ways to use them. R2 sees you shoot yarn like a grappling hook, while L2 enables you to hold onto the string behind you and either haul yourself up or abseil down long drops. Circle can be used to grab and drag objects while Square lets you tie off some yarn to fixed points, creating bridges or a trampoline you can use to catapult yourself to new heights.
Puzzles can be as simple as scaling trees laden with lush fruit, or more complex. In one section, I had to use yarn to make a bridge and push some apples up and into a pool to create a makeshift walkway, so Yarny could cross without getting wet. In another, I had to drag an ash try onto a bent sign in order to reach higher ground and then swing from one point to another by carefully timing the shots of my grappling thread. Yarn balls placed around the map serve as checkpoints if you die, and also points you can reset to, with Sahlin suggesting this feature will play a key role in certain puzzles. Additionally Yarny unravels as he walks, so you'll need to find these balls to replenish his little body.
I also got a chance to play another level from later in the game with a markedly different tone. Gone is the warm, autumnal vibe of before. Instead, a grim landscape peppered with mud, pine trees and rain was laid out before me, with barbed wire fencing also making an appearance. Yarny's entire demeanour changes too - his eyes shift about nervously as he hugs himself for reassurance. It's surprisingly emotive.
Sahlin wasn't able to tell me when we'll see Unravel release, but he did promise it'll be a sizeable title and levels will have branching paths, so you'll be able to choose an easier path or take a fiendishly complex one in pursuit of collectibles.
There are many great things about E3, including the chance to catch up with devs, discover how the biggest titles of the year ahead are shaping up and have your mind blown by shocking reveals. But every now and then the most special moments come when you least expect them. I didn't expect to go into EA's booth and come out in love with an anthropomorphic ball of red yarn, but there's absolutely no question that Yarny has stolen my heart.