{"id":98350,"date":"2020-06-09T09:27:35","date_gmt":"2020-06-09T09:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ind13.com\/?p=98350"},"modified":"2023-04-13T19:45:04","modified_gmt":"2023-04-13T19:45:04","slug":"evans-remains-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intoindiegames.com\/reviews\/evans-remains-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Evan’s Remains \u2013 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Evan’s Remains, we solve puzzles on an uninhabited island while looking for a genius named Evan. How did we find it? Here’s what we think.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\nThere\u2019s nothing about Evan\u2019s Remains that feels like it\u2019s been done before. It\u2019s a mystery thriller set on a bright, sunkissed island, where the protagonist solves puzzles built into ancient monoliths, all while wearing a breezy sun dress and a straw hat. When she\u2019s not hopping around, she\u2019s trying to tease out the mystery of the island and why she\u2019s on it, with the help of a boy named Clover.\n\nIt\u2019s a striking image, and the game capitalises on it very early by immersing you in a world that sparks curiosity at every turn. Who<\/i> sent Dysis? Who is her scientist-y remote handler? Who is Clover and why is he on the island? The more answers that come through, twice as many questions are raised.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\n\nThe story goes that boy genius Evan has gone missing. He\u2019s been missing for years, in fact. This changes at the start of the game, when he supposedly resurfaces with a message that points to the coordinates of an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean. Along with his coordinates is a message, asking for a girl named \u2018Dysis\u2019 to be sent for him.\n\nWhatever mysterious organisation Evan was a part of, it has decided to comply. Dysis is sent in with her straw hat and superhuman jumping abilities, and shortly after reaching the island, she makes two discoveries.\n\nOne, the island was once home to an ancient civilisation that left behind messages on puzzle-infused monoliths. Second, there\u2019s someone else on the island: a boy, Clover, who is translating the monoliths to uncover a secret.\n\nThe discoveries tie into the game\u2019s hybrid of genres. It\u2019s as much a visual novel as it is a puzzle game\u2014which I think is an appealing combination. Thankfully, Evan\u2019s Remains is good at both genres.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Evan's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\n\nThe puzzles of Evan\u2019s Remains are chiefly based on platforms that disappear once you step off of them. It might sound like something you\u2019ve done before, but Evan\u2019s Remains crafts a whole game out of them, requiring you to use logic, experimentation, as well as forwards and backwards thinking.\n\nAs you progress, more mechanics are put into play, such as teleporting platforms, and platforms that serve as switches to toggle whether \u2018regular\u2019 platforms are accessible or not.\n\nThe game slips in these mechanics at a steady pace. I never found myself overwhelmed with the puzzles of Evan\u2019s Remains, nor did I find them too difficult or too easy. If ever I could describe a game as the Goldilocks of puzzle challenge, Evan\u2019s Remains is it.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Evan's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\n\nThe graphic novel bit reveals a story with adorable sprites and expressive writing inspired by Japanese games. As the game progresses in both present-day and flashback threads, you come to piece together the mystery of what is going on. The resolution was satisfactory, I thought, even though the actual story might be one of the most convoluted plots I\u2019ve ever witnessed. It\u2019s honestly something to behold when it all comes together.\n\nAlthough the storytelling of Evan\u2019s Remains tells a complete and concise story, the game seems doesn\u2019t do enough with its excellent puzzling. I\u2019m typically one to get annoyed by difficult puzzles soon, but with Evan\u2019s Remains, I found myself craving more. My leading disappointment towards the ending was that there weren\u2019t any more puzzles to solve, so I do hope developer Mat\u00edas Schmied considers a successor or expansion of some sort.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Evan\u2019s Remains tells a gripping, amazingly convoluted tale interspersed by irresistible puzzle platforming that left me wanting a lot more than what I got.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developer<\/b>: Mat\u00edas Schmied
Country of Origin<\/b>: Argentina
Publisher<\/b>: Whitethorn Digital
Release Date<\/b>: 11th June 2020 (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This review is based on a copy of the game provided by the developer. The PC version of the game was played for this review of <\/b>Evan\u2019s Remains<\/b><\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for reading this review of Evan’s Remains! For other interesting articles on Into Indie Games, check out the links below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n