Gibbons: Beyond The Trees (Apple Arcade) Review: Simple yet stunning

Apple Arcade has been dishing out quality games one after the other, and if you have been waiting to get a subscription, there cannot be a better time than now. After trying out the delightful Wylde Flower last time, Apple Arcade adds another fresh indie title from a different genre. Gibbon: Beyond the Trees, comes from Broken Rules, an Austrian Indie developer that collaborated with Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, Bruno Manser Fonds, Gibbon Conservation Society, and Rainforest Rescue for this title.

Gibbons: Beyond The Trees takes you on a journey of discovering our footprints on the environment and, in general, how we are threatening the species that have co-existed with us for millions of years. Gibbons is a simple and child-friendly game to play, and if you are considering downloading this on your iPhone or iPad, go through our quick review of this Apple Arcade title.

Gibbons: Beyond The Trees: Storyline

As you may have already guessed, Gibbons: Beyond The Trees takes you on a journey with a family of gibbons, swinging through the wild forests and discovering an evolving world. But soon the family discovers the pain of separation, and all the associated dangers that come with human settlements. As you play along, you will go through the emotions that emphasize freedom, caring, love, and survival. As you progress through the story, the narrative becomes heart-touching and by the end, it makes you reflect on humanity’s actions as a whole.

Gibbons: Beyond The Trees: Gameplay

Gibbons: Beyond The Trees is a 2D tap fest where your timing plays a key role in navigating the obstacles with these animated gibbons. The game relies on swing dynamics and your ability to judge the trajectory, as well as figure out what action works better to progress faster. You can also choose to slow down and take in the beautifully painted vistas enriched with lovely colours and light effects. The gameplay dynamics are mostly simple but some of those cinematic large jumps across the cliffs can be tricky to master.

You start off initially in the Story mode that takes almost an hour of your life to complete. Once you do that, the game unlocks a new Liberation Mode that is accessible from the main menu. In this mode, you go through the same 2D forests to free captive gibbons and birds. This is a fun way to keep the game relevant even after you are done with the Story mode.

Similar to other tap-and-swipe fests such as Alto’s Odyssey, Gibbons: Beyond The Trees does not show where the controls are. Hence, the first few minutes into the game are crucial to learn the controls. Occasionally, the game will show you the control tips if you are stuck at a level.

Gibbons: Beyond The Trees: Graphics

Those who have played Alto’s Odyssey and similar tap-based games will be comfortable to settle in here. Developer Broken Rules has done a masterful job with the artwork, showing some of the most beautiful painted backgrounds I have seen on a mobile game. It is simple yet to clever choices of colours and light effects make the game a truly enjoyable title to play. 

Be it the lush green forests, the burning remnants of human exploitation, or the helicopter adventure, it all looks great. On a device like the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the higher refresh rate certainly helps to smoothen it all out, although those playing on iPads and MacBooks will have more of an immersive experience on their larger screens.

Verdict

Most new Apple Arcade titles are taking a new direction of delivering quality gameplay experiences fused with a simple storytelling and strong underlying messages. Gibbons: Beyond The Trees is another one of these attempts. The game will make young players and even grown-ups consider the underlying message of environmental protection and caring for other species to better co-habitate this planet. In the meantime, you get to experience a beautifully designed game that is simple to play and peaceful to watch.

Gibbons: Beyond The Trees is available on Apple Arcade and if you are subscriber, you should check it out immediately. The game will also reach PC and consoles later.