Everhood: Eternity Edition is one of those games that may have slipped your radar. This understated indie title doesn’t break the mould. However, its blend of genres and challenging mechanics make it stand out. Additionally, the retro aesthetic is somewhat unusual and this will appease retro lovers.
This old-school RPG was developed by Foreign Gnomes and published by Blitworks Games. Moreover, it utilises rhythm-based action and bullet hell mechanics. Accordingly, you must feel the beat, listen to every wonderful song, and dodge an insane plethora of deadly notes.
Everhood: Eternity Edition tells a bizarre story.
I love the bizarre nature of retro games. The developers had the creative freedom to generate any plot, no matter how absurd it sounded. Consequently, you never knew what would happen. Furthermore, the characters were colourful, strange, and interesting. Thankfully, Everhood: Eternity Edition ticks each of these boxes.
You play the part of a wooden doll. This hapless individual has their arm stolen and this is the catalyst for a crazy adventure. En route, they encounter a range of weird people and creatures. These strange entities have music coursing through their veins, and they challenge you to a classic dance-off. However, this winner-takes-all mentality is deadly. If you win, your opponent is thwarted. Yet, if you lose, you’ll die, and you must respawn and try again.
Simple mechanics.
Though much of the action was odd, the gameplay mechanics were straightforward to understand. Effectively, the story is punctuated by short, sharp rhythm-based battles that test your reactions. Additionally, you must stay calm and cool as musical notes hit you like a bullet from a gun.
Each of these encounters is complemented by stunning and original music. Moreover, the claustrophobic arena enhances the difficulty. If you consider that each foe has a unique style and range of attacks, you have your work cut out.
Every fight asks you to navigate a tiny arena. This compact space is filled with neon blocks that must be avoided. Whether you dodge them, jump over them, or roll past them is your choice. However, if you get hit, you’ll become hurt and eventually die. Consequently, you must avoid every bullet hell projectile that is thrown your way.
Everhood: Eternity Edition is gloriously old-school.
Though the action is brutally tough and undeniably strange, it is gloriously old-school. The grim colour palette and pixelated finish won’t appease everyone. However, I adored the simple approach and the dated aesthetic. Additionally, the odd character models enhanced the unnerving and unsavoury nature of this title.
Alongside this, I cherished the original soundtrack. The varied music rarely hit a dud note. What’s more, the upbeat and aggressive tunes will get your heart pumping. As such, though it is occasionally unfair, you won’t mind revisiting every aggressive and OTT arena.
The controls could have been better.
Though Everhood: Eternity Edition is easy to master, the controls should have been tighter. When a developer utilises bullet hell mechanics, you are in for a tough time. Yet, if the controls are also slow and clunky, it makes matters worse. Consequently, the frustrating controls make you scream with rage.
I adored the maddening action and the brutal bullet hell mechanics. However, there were some game-breaking bugs that ruined the fun. Subsequently, this was annoying. Yet, despite the issues, it has replay value and longevity.
Everhood: Eternity Edition is a great indie title.
Though I found some minor flaws, Everhood: Eternity Edition is a great indie title. Its retro approach and cruel gameplay will put some gamers off. Yet, if you can see past the blocky imagery, you’ll experience a weird and wonderful tale. Moreover, the action is rewarding. As such, I love this game and recommend buying it here! Can you find your missing arm? Explore the world, avoid the bullet hell madness, and become whole again.
