PYRE & LES HAUTS DE JANEIL ROSÉ DE SYRAH

Can I just say how much I love the art direction at Supergiant Games? Pyre is the latest treasure from the same studio that made Bastion and Transistor. You wake up in a wasteland, banished by society but thankfully rescued by fellow exiles. From there, you meet and pick up more exiles along the way, fighting your way through competitive games called Rites to earn your chance to return to society. As an artist and animator, I absolutely love seeing how studios apply their efforts to create characters and environments for their games, and I am thrilled with the results of Pyre. The gorgeously illustrated sprawling backgrounds that glow with vibrancy; the carefully painted multitude of characters (not to mention the variety in their poses and facial expressions during conversations); and the animations that express the personality of each individual (and species) in the Rites. This game has a beautiful radiance, and its not just from the incredible art. I was skeptical about my enjoyment of a "sports" game, but I can safely say that that was not an issue. The gameplay is really fun and, once it picks up, really challenges you to come up with different play strategies. I also quickly fell in love with the story. I have to say...I sent Hedwyn home first. I was smitten at first sight, and I thought...oh Hedwyn, you deserve better than this place...plus you're in love with someone else...sooo...farewell. I love how every single exile has their own story to tell, and its up to you to unravel those hidden elements.

Now, I played this game when it was still warm out, and one of my favorite things to drink in the summer is a cool dry rosé...not to mention that Pyre starts off in a desert. What I like about this pairing is that the rosé has just enough sweetness to pair with all of the heartfelt game play interactions, but it also has enough bite to represent those tough, bitter moments in purgatory. Wonderful notes of strawberry, grapefruit, and thyme pair beautifully with the landscape that is revealed to you as you travel from rite to rite. This wine boasts a refreshing coppery pink color that, when I think back on the palette of this game, fits in perfectly with the brilliant hues of the wasteland.

Have you played Pyre? Is it your favorite Supergiant Game to date? What would you pair with Pyre during your play through?