Void Wisp is an arcade game all about soothing soundscapes and living life as close to the edge as possible. Players control a small mote of light floating through an obstacle course of shapes and laser beams that create noise the closer you get to them. In order to get the most points, players need to grind as close as possible to obstacles and narrowly avoid projectiles. It’s tricky but also soothing.
Created by D.W. O’Boyle, Void Wisp feels like a cross between Rez and Bit.Trip Runner. Controlling a small wisp, players aim for a high score by grinding as close to obstacles as possible. The closer you get, the faster your score shoots up. It encourages a risky play-style where a single mistake can send players crashing into blocks or slipping into the paths of laser beams. There’s no major punishment for failure in Void Wisp except for the knowledge that if you’d tapped the glide button a bit lighter, you could have gotten even more points.
High scores aren’t the only reason to slip and grind near obstacles. Moving closer to hazards causes them to emanate blips and chirps that eventually combine into a relaxing kind of music. It’s easy to zone out while playing Void Wisp, edging closer and closer to hazards in order to mix and match chippy beeps and longer held tones. Each course is generated from one of thousands of world seeds that ensures they never sound completely the same. If random levels aren’t your thing, there’s also a mode with 40 pre-built levels full of different objectives to complete. Players looking for something with a faster pace can try a survival mode where their wisp speeds up as they gain more points.
One of my favourite things about Void Wisp is the inclusion of accessibility features. Controls are remappable and the game’s backgrounds can be set to specific specific colours to aid players with colourblindness. These options are simple but welcome ways to allow more players to participate in the experience.
Void Wisp is about relaxation and the joy of small victories. Sliding through a difficult stretch of obstacles feels rewarding while the various pings and bleeps create a comforting wave of sound. It’s a great way to unwind for five minutes. You can play Void Wisp on PC.
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