Humanity has screwed up. Earth is on fire, and the people have fled to the stars in search of a new home.
This is the relatively simple premise ofEuropa, the new adventure game from Helder Pinto and Novadust Entertainment. PartJourney, part interactive Studio Ghibli movie, it’s a meditative and frequently beautiful tale that falls just short of greatness thanks to some baffling design choices towards the end.
Europatakes place on Jupiter’s moon of the same name, a moon which humans have managed to terraform and colonise with the help of robots who went on ahead, years before man stepped foot on the planet.
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Europacreates an incredibly strong first impression. Minimalist piano chimes in the background as Zee navigates a series of gorgeous and generously sized vistas, solving light puzzles and collecting secrets as he moves between areas.
Make no mistake: this game is drop-dead gorgeous. While it’s become all too common to describe a certain artstyle as Ghibliesque,Europahas earned the right. Deep green fields rustle in the wind as bizarre mechanical creatures scuttle around the ruins of a long-since abandoned world.
Zee is able to glide and even fly for short bursts, making exploring each area a uniquely joyful experience. At its best,Europainvites you to relax, unwind, and fully lose yourself in its world.
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Unfortunately,Europadoesn’t quite have the confidence to simply be what it initially presents itself as, ultimately throwing arbitrary obstacles at players that almost completely derail the game’s final act.
I have no issue with games giving me challenges to overcome. I’ve playedBloodbornemore times than is healthy. But much of whatEuropaopts to pull out in the second half of the game is so jarring, so misjudged, that it completely spoils the tone of what came before.
Getting caught in the blast of a landmine as a laser blasts you hither and thither isn’t tense or challenging, it’s irritating. It’s as if the development team panicked and decidedEuropawasn’t enough like a proper video game.
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WhenEuropasimply allows you to unwind and explore at your own pace, it’s one of the most captivating experiences I’ve had this year. There is real beauty to be found here, for sure, but it’s all-too fleeting.
Pros:A gorgeous world, sweet story, satisfying movement
Cons:Awful ending, arbitrary obstacles towards the end
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For fans of:Journey, The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, Spyro The Dragon
7/10: Very Good
Topics:Indie Games,Steam,The Legend Of Zelda
