When you think about it, photographs are basically magic. They capture moments in time that conjure up thoughts, feelings, and a sense of place whenever we look at them. That’s sorcery, right? It seems developer Silver Lining Studio agrees, using photography as an important mechanic in their upcoming game The Star Named EOS.
In it, you play as Dei, a young photographer inspired to take up the hobby by his mother, who sadly wasn’t around much. Throughout his childhood, she used to send him letters and pictures from her adventures. Once his only connection to his mother, one day, Dei spots something awry with the photos, turning them from a nostalgic keepsake into something else entirely. Could they hold a long-kept secret about why she was never around?
With his mother’s voice guiding him, Dei sets off on a journey to recreate the photographs she sent him, hoping that will help unravel the mystery. Based on that, I expect we’ll get an emotional story that’ll more than tug at the heartstrings by the time the end credits roll.
The Star Named EOS brings plenty of puzzles
As you might have guessed from the camera-focused gimmick, The Star Named Eos’ gameplay will mostly see you solving numerous puzzles. Presumably, you’ll need to interact with various objects scattered within each scene to gather everything you need to recreate a particular photograph. If that’s the case, it’s a concept I fully support.
The joy of unraveling a mystery comes step-by-step, with each new clue moving the needle closer to some big reveal. By putting the literal pieces from the photographs together, it mirrors that style of narrative wonderfully. Plus, I always find gathering a list of items satisfying. I love ticking a checkbox.
Of course, as with any puzzler, the execution needs to be top-notch. And that’s not a straightforward thing to achieve. Striking the balance between challenge and frustration is particularly difficult in this genre. If a puzzle doesn’t provide enough challenge, why have any? Likewise, if it’s too tricky, it becomes a barrier to enjoying the rest of the story.
A game that looks picturesque
Photography is about capturing life’s most beautiful moments, so it only makes sense that The Star Named EOS should look impressive. And it truly does. Every screenshot and trailer I’ve seen so far is a veritable showcase for its stunning hand-drawn art. There’s so much detail on display that you know it was made with love and care.
I’m a sucker for hand-drawn art, so I was sold on The Star Named EOS pretty much on the aesthetic alone. Don’t judge a book by its cover, I know. But when it looks this lovely, you can’t always help it. Even so, it’s a strong premise. I enjoy a good mystery, particularly one that doesn’t immediately start with a murder for once. Although, naturally, I can’t rule one out at some point!
The Star Named EOS will release on every major platform on July 23rd. You can pre-order now on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.
Thank you for reading this article. For more interesting coverage of all things indie games, be sure to check out the links below.
- Into Indie Games Homepage
- Best Indie Games of 2024
- Botany Manor Review
- Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss Walkthrough
- Dungeons of Hinterberg sees you taking a vacation to the titular village to battle creatures from Alpine mythology
