Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree Review: Can you draw circles?

It's rare to come across a game inspired by mythology that isn't worth your time. We've seen this many times before, from franchises as old as God of War to more recent titles like Black Myth: Wukong.

Developed by Saudi Arabia's Starvania Studio, Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree is a new casual underwater adventure game inspired by Arabian mythology from the One Thousand and One Nights.

Story 

The story revolves around Bahamut and Falak, two ancient spirits in the form of fishes that came into existence to maintain balance in a cosmic sea called Ma'een. Each embodies polar opposites: Bahamut represents light, while Falak embodies shadow.

At the centre of Ma'een is the Waqwaq tree, a deeply rooted being whose branches bear the creatures of the cosmic sea from its fruits. For ages, it was peaceful until the sudden disappearance of Bahamut and Falak. This led to a decline in the cosmic sea and caused the Waqwaq tree to wither, ceasing to produce fruit for centuries.

The game’s opening premise instantly reminded me of Avatar: The Last Airbender, where the two divine spirits, Tui (Moon Spirit) and La (Ocean Spirit), appear as koi fish in a yin-yang formation in the Spirit Oasis of the Northern Water Tribe in Book 2. After one of the fish was killed, water-bending ceased to exist until they were revived. 

Well, this game's story follows a similar approach. You play as Noor, a creature born from a core of the Waqwaq tree's branch as a single fruit. Noor carries Bahamut's light and must find the remaining lost pieces to locate Bahamut in the Great City, restoring his light and bringing order back to the cosmic sea.

Gameplay

Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree takes inspiration from several great titles, which works in its favour. There are gameplay elements here that are reminiscent of PlayDead's INSIDE, Leo's Fortune, and even Hellblade: Senua's Saga, particularly due to the voices/whispers you hear.

Throughout the game, you'll struggle against dark spirits known as the Duja'a entities, which again, reminded me of the Druuns from Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon; they turn anyone they touch to stone and can only be repelled by dragon magic. 

Similarly in this game, you repel the Duja'a entities using Bahamut's light, which is also one of the cool abilities you gain early on as it creates a sort of light-versus-darkness narrative. So again, there are gameplay elements here that are reminiscent of different things outside of just games, and that's a good thing because it cleverly blends familiar concepts from different media while maintaining its own identity.

Speaking of abilities, you have three in total: boosting your swimming speed, repelling entities using Bahamut's light, and drawing. Each is essential, and you'll rely on them at different points throughout the game.

Graphics and Visuals 

Although Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree encourages exploration, the game's real strength lies in its puzzles and level design, that is where it truly shines. If you've ever played Leo's Fortune or BADLAND, expect similar but interesting challenges here.

The underwater world of Ma'een is beautiful too, and while I didn't spend much time exploring as the game encouraged, I often paused to enjoy a stunning scenery whenever I came upon one. 

Your ability to draw and gesture circles is also a highlight in this game. The puzzles can be tricky at first, but there's a satisfying sense of discovery when you finally understand what you need to do and then you go “Ohhh, so that's what I should've done". 

Issues and Irritations 

It took me about five hours to finish the game, and while I generally enjoyed it, I did encounter some frustrations. The drawing mechanic, while sometimes fun and innovative, is also the worst thing about this game. 

It's one thing to draw near-perfect circles but then the game introduces the ability to draw and reveal hidden objects by gesturing the letter S. The drawing mechanic can feel unresponsive to the extent that I assumed it was a day one bug issue after drawing circles multiple times and still didn't get the green pass. 

I played using a controller but I don't think I'd want to attempt completing some of the drawing puzzles on the Switch as I imagine it'd be even more challenging due to the console’s button layout. So that's one of the worries I have with this game. 

Outside the need to draw perfect circles, I enjoyed playing with the Arabic voice acting while using English subtitles as it enhanced the immersion. However, the game's use of Arabic text on underwater stones, without translation options, limits the experience for non-Arabic speakers.

Verdict 

Bahamut and the Waqwaq Tree is a decent underwater adventure with challenging puzzles and innovative gameplay mechanics that will often test your patience. Its strength lies not in its story or characters but in guiding you through a balanced, casual platformer experience. 

There are times when the game appears forgiving and makes it obvious which way you have to go next, and that's fine because it didn't need to be overly difficult, nor does it hold your hand, striking a balance that makes it enjoyable and relaxing.