Zorya: The Celestial Sistersis an upcoming cooperative puzzle platformer that should be of interest to fans ofIt Takes Two, an action-adventure puzzle-platformer that’s currently up forthe Game of the Year awardat The Game Awards 2021. Both titles require players to work in harmony and find solutions but with vastly different controls.
Zoryais an admittedly differentexperience thanIt Takes Two, though the EA-published title’s positive reception might actually bode well for the indie game, developed by Madlife. Both games must be played cooperatively between two players and don’t feature any kind of single-player campaign or AI to fill in as a second player. This is because the goal of the game is to force players to work together and communicate, and likeIt Takes Two, the cooperative element could make or break howZorya: The Celestial Sisters' pans out.
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Communication as Both a Theme and a Mechanic
Both literally and thematically, communication was important inprogressing throughIt Takes Two. The story followed a pair of parents on the cusp of a failing marriage, but when their daughter turns them into dolls by play-acting a resolution for their relationship, Cody and May must navigate the world in their tiny new bodies in an attempt to return themselves to normal. However, Dr. Hakim, personified as their self-help relationship book, continuously pits them against obstacles as a means of forcing them to work and solve problems together.
Co-operative games don’t normally make as big of a splash asIt Takes Two, but it’s possible that the forcednew perspectives brought by the Covid-19 pandemichave caused players to gravitate toward titles that require togetherness, either through online or split-screen play. This was also observed last year withAnimal Crossing: New Horizons' nomination for Game of the Year. While not published by a AAA developer, it’s possible thatZorya: The Celestial Sisterscould breach the same success, or at the very least, be of interest to the same realm of gamers.
The somewhat odd thing aboutZorya: The Celestial Sistersis that even following the hands-off gameplay preview, not a whole lot has been revealed about its overarching story. The two sisters have been separated, with Aysu stranded on Earth, on a quest to be reunited. But it’s a bit unclear how influential that story will be - if it’ll neatly tie gameplay and narrative together like inIt Takes Two -or if it will more so take the shape ofSuper Mariogames, where there is a setup and some story but is otherwise simply fun platforming mechanics.
But there is a lot to observe about how communication will have a major role here just as it did inIt Takes Two, even if it’s unclear how it might affect the plot.
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Zorya: The Celestial Sister’s Simple Elegance
Zorya: The Celestial Sisterswill be a far more relaxed experience thanIt Takes Two’s wild action-platforming. The gameplay is also a lot more simplistic, but this is also what should make it more enticing, especially in the indie sphere where chill and atmospheric games such asUnpackingare all the rage right now. It’s less action and more strategizing. InZorya, players will assume the role of two sisters, Aysu and Solveig, the former being symbolic of the moon and the latter of the sun, in more ways than just her name.
As Aysu, the third-person camera will rest over her shoulder. Together, players must complete levels named after constellations such as Aries 2, Pisces 1, or Whale 3, but Aysu can only traverse on the ground while Solveig helps her in the sky. Aysu must move through the shadows or players must restart the level, and Solveig can help her by manipulating the sunlight, which can also unlock a series of puzzles such as pathways, and her sunbeam can stun enemies.
Zoryamay be a bit imbalancedin this way, especially early on when Aysu doesn’t have many abilities. Aysu must travel to the end of the level by shadows, which shift with the sun, meaning that Aysu’s abilities are dependant on Solveig’s, who can also hit switches to open doorways or raise pillars, providing more shade and opening up new paths.
But as the game progresses,Zoryawill introduce new systems like the mirror, which can reflect light in different directions. Players will need the mirror to create new pathways, and new puzzle elements will require finding options to get the reflection further. In this way,The Celestial Sistersis really about bouncing ideas off one another to find the correct route to the end goal.
And while Solveig oversees the entire layout of a given level from the sky, Aysu can also encounter problems that only exist on the ground. For example, there are enemies known as the Aries inZorya: The Celestial Sisters, who patrol some of the levels. This means there is some stealth involved on Aysu’s part, but the sisters can work together to “defeat” them, though they can never actually die. Aysu can use her power of the wind to push the Aries into the sunlight, which then allows Solveig to burn and temporarily stun them with her sunbeam. In many ways,communication between playerswill make or break how they experienceZorya: The Celestial Sisters.
In this way, co-op games likeZoryaandIt Takes Twoare calling back to thePortalera. Whereas many cooperative games tend to support communication, more recent titles liketheOvercookedgamespractically require it. Players might even be able to work together on purchasingZoryaas well. Much likeIt Takes Twowhich provided a Friend Pass for free,Zorya: The Celestial Sisterswill also have this option, meaning friends, roommates, and significant others can split the $24.99 cost if they prefer.
Zorya: The Celestial Sisterslaunches on June 05, 2025 for PC and Switch.
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