I’ll absolutely open this review with an admission. Despite the fact that I play so many games that are so varied, and really try to see the positives of each in the light of how they were intended to be enjoyed, it isn’t a perfect system. In particular, I find that games that are shooting more for a high concept of some kind tend to grind my gears a little bit. Not so much because I can’t appreciate the fact that a game can pull off something that’s more profound, but because too many times I’m left questioning just how effective the developers were in constructing their message the way they did combined with the play style they chose.

I suppose you can then guess that I find myself in that spot conceptually with Ahro, a game with the intention of trying to somehow tie itself to a quest to find relief from severe anxiety and panic disorder. As my wife has had serious bouts with them in her past, I’m well aware of how crippling regular panic attacks can be, first and foremost making it a challenge to even leave the house at times. With that in mind I sort of expected to feel some sympathetic vibes or a connection to the game, but instead I found the experience a bit too abstract to engage with deeply in any way with.

Perhaps the issue is that I simply didn’t have enough patience to take in the messages or vibes the game was trying to send, but I really struggled to see where the interest was supposed to be in sticking with it, let alone how it was supposed to create a connection with me. There’s a unique look and general style to the experience that I can appreciate, as well as a very relaxed approach, but I’d also differentiate between being able to appreciate something and actually enjoying it. I don’t doubt that there’s something here some people may connect with, but I can’t count myself among them.