You awake at the base of a steep staircase. Atop the steps is a piece of dirt with a singular birch tree branch attached to it. Its roots sink into a pool of water below. Its presence defies logic, surrounded by a man-made structure, as if it’s something that demands worship.
How did I get here? Did I die, or am I born again? The mystery of my own existence is pushed aside by the force of something far greater. The stake of humanity lies in the balance, but it’s through our own self-proclaimed divine intervention that fate is decided.
The answer to who we are is insignificant; we are mere passers-by. A letter is all that arrived with you when you were transported to this reality or born from it. It reads: “some say the air itself has a face,” inviting you to peer at the stillness of life itself to see what many are too busy to notice. A fish-like entity emerges, perhaps a deity or a simple messenger. It speaks of this place being between life and death—the plant our fate, the water our fuel. Whatever you decide to do is up to you, but you’re told: don’t feed it your blood.
Be it through our actions or inactions, consequences are faced in the future and not by you. Our purpose is simple, but its meaning is layered. What will you feed to the roots, for what fate have you decided, and what kind of Mother Earth will you make us?
Judgement is here and you’re serving it
This is Fatum Betula, a low-poly adventure game full of mystery and secrets. The PS1 aesthetics capture the surreal, dreamlike environment. With torii gates and traditional Japanese shrines, Fatum Betula feels biblical both in its surroundings and plot. You’re given the freedom to freely explore, gathering as much information as you can to solve individual mysteries and discover new fuel to feed back into the water, thus deciding humanity’s fate. Three empty vials in hand, your endeavor begins with curiosity and confusion, for the fate of humanity rests on your actions.
11 endings, 11 different fates. Are you curious enough to see it all, or will you settle for a particular conclusion that seems fit for our world that’s already so full of suffering? Each puzzle and mystery is engaging and perfectly utilizes the compact and slowly expanding level design. The design is much like how our own knowledge continuously grows the longer we spend on Earth.
The world is full of secrets
What will you discover? Fatum Betula is eagerly awaiting your arrival, just waiting to see what you’ll do with your newfound tools. The world is truly your oyster, with secrets tucked away from the unobservant eye. The flat realm may seem empty at first, where life flourishes mostly as autumnal leaves and flowing water.
Like something out of a Studio Ghibli movie, Fatum Betula feels like folklore brought to life in a pixelated setting. The game often blurs reality and fiction, almost aware it’s a video game, glitching out and breaking as you pull it apart at the seams. It’s unpredictable and alluring, a surprising title that continues to defy expectations the more you play.
Seeing everything Fatum Betula has to offer is one reason to keep playing, but this title also has an addictive quality due to the flawless execution of each ending, which ties quite beautifully to reality. There are multiple steps you must take to reach each ending—much like climbing the staircase at the start of the game. While the world you’re exploring seems completely far-fetched with talking cats and skeletons, spirits, and underwater areas, the philosophical conclusions are surprisingly deep.
Is this our retribution?
Fatum Betula tugs at your curiosity while simultaneously crafting a feeling of uneasiness. There’s a sense of creepiness and dread that follows your every move, as if you’re not really supposed to be here and in charge of this power. There’s something uncanny about the world because nothing makes much sense. The quietness of Fatum Betula paints a very still and peaceful land that’s disturbed by your blundering through it. While you’re completing quests like a traveler on a JRPG adventure, there’s that question of whether your actions are truly helping or if you’re simply satiating your own selfish desire for power.
What fate will you decide for humanity? Enter the bizarre yet curious world of Fatum Betula on Steam, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
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The post Destructoid’s Indie Gems – Edition 11: What would you do with the fate of humanity in your hands? appeared first on Destructoid.
