It has been a great year for League of Legends fans who love the lore of the universe. All of the Riot Forge games have been great additions to flesh out the backstory of so many events and characters. The Song of Nunu is a game that sees Nunu and his faithful yeti, Willump, making their way across the frozen tundras of the Freljord. Their adventure has some interesting turns and ultimately feels like it is setting up for something much bigger. Here is a review of Tequila Works and Riot Forge’s Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story.

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Song of Nunu Review

Gameplay

Song of Nunu at points feels like a combination of Ocarina of Time and most wall-climbing action-adventure games in today’s gaming era. The player gets to play songs or more correctly, notes at different points in the game and is climbing all over the map both as Nunu and the combination of Nunu and Willump.

The major points of gameplay are the puzzles, which are again very common across many action-adventure games. Most of them are certainly interesting, at least initially. The combination of the music along with different tasks really amplifies the song aspect of the title. The issue is that these puzzles are not terribly complicated and get figured out pretty quickly. It makes it feel as though this game was intended for children or young adults more than the average League of Legends fan.

When it comes to the combat in the game, it is in a similar boat as the puzzles. Combat in Song of Nunu is something that feels like it is only going to get more complex and enjoyable but never really moves forward in any significant way. The combining of basic attacks with snowballs is fun, but it becomes a bit easy, repetitive and unsatisfying very quickly. This is truly a shame considering what Nunu and Willump are able to do in League of Legends.

The gameplay itself has its merits, especially at the beginning and the end of the game but the problems lie in the fact that it never really grows and the middle of the game almost gets lost in the shuffle. The puzzles get a bit more complex but are quickly figured out and the combat ends up being almost a waste of time as if it was an afterthought to the rest of the game.

Graphics

This is where the Song of Nunu starts to find its footing. Getting to see the different champions in such a unique and enjoyable art style was a treat. Their facial expressions flowed well and helped the player to really feel along with each champion.

There were some issues here as well though. Some areas felt really well thought out and full of interesting foliage and memorable markers. Others, like the very beginning of the game, felt barren. While the Freljord is supposed to represent real-world arctic terrain, the Song of Nunu missed opportunities to really show off more of the beauty of the Freljord.

The cutscenes were seamless with the rest of the game and helped to keep the player invested. In addition to that, getting to see the size of certain champions was extremely satisfying. In League of Legends, most champions are pretty similar in their models, but the scope of these characters in their own arenas really was impressive.

In terms of graphical issues, the game ran very well on PC. There were occasional annoyances. Sometimes it felt like things would hit you or do damage when your character model looked to be clear of whatever the danger was. While it never was enough to be a major problem, it did cause some unnecessary frustration. Outside of that, the game looked fantastic and ran extremely well.

Music

Considering the game is called, Song of Nunu, music being a major bright spot and arguably the best part of the game should not come as a surprise.

Before diving into the incredible score of the game, there was one negative. The instrument that Nunu uses is great, but being able to play it randomly was not as satisfying as was expected. You are unable to play any songs outside of the designated areas. While maybe not a big deal to most, this felt like a missed opportunity. Again the comparison to Ocarina of Time where Link is able to bring out his Ocarina and play a song any time and something can happen felt like an addition the Song of Nunu could have used well.

Now to the fun part. The score of this game was absolutely amazing from start to finish. Each area and character having their own music was nice. But, the best part was hearing the champion themes like Braum’s every time he was around. Truly, this game should be looked at for awards for the score as it is arguably the most satisfying and delightful part of the game.

Story

Of the major areas that we take a look at, the Story, at least to this reviewer, is the most important part. If the music was the best part of the Song of Nunu, the story was the a close second. It is an emotional tale for both Nunu and Willump and even champions like Lissandra. Parts of it are predictable but there are enough twists, including one major one, to keep things interesting.

It is the backstory and new lore for Nunu, Willump and Lissandra that really makes Song of Nunu stand out. They weave in each story seamlessly and blur the lines between good and evil and right and wrong extremely well. This has been the case for most of the Riot Forge games so far and is truly a compliment to the storytellers at Riot for showing how deep and compelling each of their champions are.

There was only one major problem with the story. Well, technically two but they overlap. The story is too short and it leaves the player with a cliffhanger. It really feels like Tequila Works and Riot Forge left a lot on the table with Song of Nunu. The game is only about six hours long. It could maybe seven or eight if players really struggle with some of the puzzles. Truthfully, this was a huge disappointment as it left me wanting more.

Luckily the story itself was very good and is clearly setting up something major in the League of Legends universe. Now that this is confirmed to be canon, it seems as though the Song of Nunu is a prequel to a major part of the story that many lore fans have been wanting to see come to fruition for quite some time. Will Tequila Works continue its efforts with a sequel or will this just be the beginning of something much bigger?

Song of Nunu Review Final Thoughts and Rating

Tequila Works and Riot Forge have created a memorable game for those who love League of Legends and its lore. Nunu, Willump and Lissandra all shine at different points while Braum is the same but in a very good way. The game suffers in some big ways, especially in the gameplay but left me wanting more due to its characters, solid story and compelling musical score. The Song of Nunu was enjoyable and has a story that clearly sets up a fun and intriguing future for all of Runeterra and the rest of the League of Legends Universe.

Rating: 7/10

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