[b][h1]The Game That Made Me Want to Travel More[/h1][/b]
I've just got back from my big solo trip across several countries, and SEASON was one of the first games I played afterward. Just about 30 minutes in, I found myself wanting to plan another journey.
[h2]The Jouney Begins[/h2]
The game is about traveling, experiencing, meeting new people, and making stories for our future selves. We roam through the landscapes of the outside world and understand how small we are in it. I've always been kind of an explorer, so I don't know how this game would've made me feel if I had played it before my journey. But playing it now, it makes me understand even more — you can't be alone in a world full of landscapes, animals, nature, and countless small things.
[h2]What the War Left Behind[/h2]
The game shows us a world torn apart after the previous season's war. Everything we pass is either destroyed or just left to the care of nature. It tells us how important some things are that we often take for granted: family, home, and peace. The Elder of the town tells us about her family and home that she lost during the war. But one thing she never lost was her memories. Memories of her home, her parents, and the cruise ship where she spent her childhood. They are among the most important things in our lives.
"We're always walking on ruins"— this quote from the game is so true. Wars have appeared all around the world, destroying every piece of life. If not wars, then nature: even ancient creatures like dinosaurs. I love how the game wants us, players, to understand the difference between the past and ourselves today.
[h2]Life After This Season[/h2]
Everyone you meet in the Tiang Valley has to move away to find peace after the war and start a new season somewhere safe. The flood will take almost everything they had, everything they made their whole lives. This sounds sad, but I adore the developers for making it sound less tragic—more like "Everything changes; life goes on."
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[h2]What I'll Take With Me[/h2]
By the end of the game, you understand it's not always the destination that matters — it's the path. When I travel, I meet locals, try their food, and wander through streets you can't find in a tour guide — this is a journey. Everyone we meet has their own thoughts, memories, and most importantly — history.
It took me about 6.5 hours to complete the game, and it seems to me like I've explored every detail the game had. I hope so, because everything you see, every detail you can interact with has something to tell. This is not just about collecting; it's about diving more into the story.
Oh, and the scenery... From mountains to forests, from lakes to the ocean — the nature in SEASON is magnificent. I also loved the architecture. It is almost the exact one I've seen in my travels. About two hours in, I realized I didn't want to rush through it. I wanted to slow down and simply exist in its world for a while.
Like I mentioned earlier, playing this game after a long journey makes it feel even more special and helps you realize what more you could've done to remember every little moment of your life. For me, I'd definitely bring a pen and a notebook to capture the smallest details.
