Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is a beautiful-looking visual novel that I am very much excited to try. I was impressed by the initial announcement, and I am always looking to get into another visual novel. Since the announcement, the game has earned a few awards and achievements that have kept me excited for this game.
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie lets you play as Polly, a young woman who suddenly discovers she has the gift to travel to a new world, Reverie. In Reverie, Polly becomes Harmony and now has the responsibility to the next Aspiration to be the heart of humanity. As Harmony, you must make difficult choices, befriend different people, and be the catalyst to a beautifully drawn narrative. The game promises multiple endings, decisions that matter, a fantastic soundtrack, and a powerful story. I will have to see how well the game keeps its promises, but at the very least, I am interested.
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is out now for PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC via Steam for $24.99 across all platforms. I should receive my review copy any day now, so stay tuned for my full review.
Planet of Lana: The Beautiful Puzzle Game You Should Be Playing!
I was sent Planet of Lana as a review code. I am very grateful for the opportunity, but I will keep my review honest.
Planet of Lana is a beautiful puzzle game with an incredible story and a fantastic soundtrack available now for PC and Xbox.
Aliens have invaded Lana’s planet and have abducted her sister. As the only remaining survivor, Lana must go out and find her sister. Along the way, Lana meets Mui, her cute cat-like companion that will help her on her journey. The pair must now brace an unforgiving landscape, explore the mysteries of the past, and save her people. Can they do it?
I got to play the demo during my time at GDC and loved it. I was very excited when I finally received my copy, and I am happy to report that the title did not disappoint. I love this game! The puzzles are fun and creative, the score is fantastic, and the story is well done.
The puzzles in this game are challenging enough to keep players engaged, but I never felt they were hard enough to require a guide. The puzzles are designed with enough clues that players should have no trouble getting through them. The puzzles help tell a story that I believe is worth experiencing once.
Planet of Lana tells an incredibly moving story full of adventure, friendship, and danger. It is a breathtaking collection of art and music that come together to create such a wholesome experience. The amount of attention to detail put into this game needs more recognition. I spent way too long trying to piece together all the clues and appreciating the vibrant and lively backdrop. It is remarkable how much this game accomplishes in the space it is given.
But this game isn’t just pretty, it is also fun. You control Lana and command Mui to solve puzzles. As you get deeper into the story, you find forgotten technology that gives you new ways to interact with the world. The puzzles get creative without losing the chill vibe it mostly carries throughout. This game gets tense when it has to, with moments that will leave most players sweating profusely.
I love this game and recommend it to anyone looking for a new game. This is a cute, fun, beautiful puzzle experience that anyone can enjoy. If you like games like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, this game should already be in your library. But if you need further convincing, try the free demo for PC. The demo gives potential players a fantastic preview of what they have in store. You need to buy this game.
You can buy Planet of Lana for the Xbox and PC via Steam for $19.99, which is worth it for what you’re getting. You can also play it free with Game Pass.
Game Review: Strayed Lights
I was sent Strayed Lights as a review code. I am very grateful for the opportunity, but I will be sure to keep my review honest.
Strayed Lights is the most beautiful adventure game you can play on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC via Steam, GoG, and Epic Games.
You play as a being of light and darkness as they go on an adventure of self-discovery and personal growth. You must travel across a dream-like landscape and face off against deadly monsters. Do you have what it takes to complete this journey?
This game is by far the prettiest game I have played by far. I spent too long admiring the wildlife, enjoying the colors, and appreciating the composition. And the music? This game has a soundtrack that will be winning awards. I cannot express how perfectly this soundtrack was composed to elevate this already stunning game to the experience that should be mandatory for all gamers. I see the word atmospheric thrown around a lot to describe games, but Strayed Lights has finally given the word its proper definition.
Exploration in this game is fantastic because the world is beautiful, but the combat is what makes this game fun. Battles are fast-paced and engaging. You have your traditional attack and dodge action, but the parry sets this system apart. Your character can swap between two colors, but monsters can swap between three. Matching your color with the monster’s while you complete a successful parry heals your character and fills your energy bar. Combat becomes this elegant dance as you learn when to attack, dodge, change color, and parry till you meet the win condition. This system kept combat feeling fresh, even when I learned a monster’s attack patterns.
Finally, I need to mention the game’s story. Strayed Lights has a fantastic story. You get to watch your character grow as it makes its way through the world helping others from the darkness. There is no dialogue, but it isn’t necessary. I am blown away by how much narrative exists without the use of words. You aren’t killing monsters, but rather helping other beings of light get rid of their darkness. I loved watching the different ways the main character heals the monsters. Each time you heal a monster, the character will grow from the experience. You will see the main character complete a full life cycle, and how that growth manifests into the world is something you need to see to appreciate.
I can’t stress how much you need to play this game. It is a beautiful and unique adventure game that deserves your attention, even if you aren’t a fan of the genre. It has a great story, beautiful art, fantastic music, and fun gameplay. Strayed Lights is $24.99, which is a great price for what you are getting. You can pick up Strayed Lights on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC via Steam, GoG, and Epic Games.
GDC Recap: Planet of Lana
I got to play Planet of Lana at GDC and was blown away by how beautiful this game is. I spent most of my session simply admiring the art. I loved all the little details that went into making this world so vibrant. I loved how the branches would sway in the breeze and how perfectly they got the water effects. You couple this with a solid gameplay loop and a wonderful music score, and you have an experience worth looking into.
I’ve added an album because it was hard to choose just one picture:
You play as a young girl whose sister has been taken by aliens. It is up to you and your cute little cat-like companion to brave the elements and bring her back.
Planet of Lana has a very relaxing loop. You and your cat travel through an impressive landscape and solve puzzles. The game is a 2D side scroller, but they use an impressive layering technique to give the world its depth. You give your companion commands and use them to interact with the world. The game gets creative with its puzzles, and it is cool to see how you affect the world as you solve the puzzles. The puzzles are well-designed. They are not too easy, and I felt that there were enough clues to help you solve them. If you like relaxing puzzle games, this should be on your list.
I loved the demo, but it is too early to tell if this game will be good. At the very least, this game is looking very promising and worth checking out. Planet of Lana will launch on PC and Xbox, but no release date has been set. It will also be launching on Game Pass. The demo is available on Steam, so go download it! Don’t forget to add it to your wishlist while you’re at it!
To stay up to date on all the news, make sure you join the official Discord and follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and YouTube.