I was sent a free copy of Guayota to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.
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What is Guayota?
Guayota is a cute 3D puzzle game coming out on August 13th on Steam and the Nintendo Switch.
You’ve heard the stories of the mythical island of San Brandan’s. An island once run by an advanced civilization full of wonder and mystery. You and a few brave souls are determined to find it. You follow the legend and wash up on its shores. This new world is ripe for exploration, but this is no ordinary island. Occasionally, you’ll be dragged into the realm of madness. Luckily, a spirit has decided to help you. Use its powers to explore the dungeons, solve its puzzles, and uncover the island’s secrets. What will your journey uncover?
Gameplay
Guayota is a top-down puzzle game. Players move through mazes and avoid traps to stay alive. Players must learn to wield the power of fire to activate the mechanisms that will keep them moving forward. A fire’s light can do helpful things like open doors, activate bridges, and other useful actions. Occasionally, players will die. This is part of the game’s design.
Dying takes players to the Realm of Madness, an alternate version of the map. There are no traps in the realm of madness. Instead, the map turns into a labyrinth the player must navigate with the help of their newly acquired spirit companion. Players can use these new powers to interact with the world like use them to move through walls or dodge traps. Players must solve puzzles in both realms to collect the clues that will help solve the mysteries of the island and the people who once ruled it.
Review
Guayota is an adorable game with an interesting premise. The game features cute characters, a solid soundtrack, and interesting puzzle mechanics. Switching between realms is a cool idea and a mechanic that the game uses effectively in its flavor and gameplay. The mechanic adds a new challenge to each room, and the puzzles are challenging enough to keep the game engaging. Some of the gameplay can start to feel repetitive, but not enough to kill the enjoyment. Overall, Guayota is a solid puzzle adventure with a decent story, creative puzzles, and cute characters. If you enjoy the genre or simply looking for a new game for your collection Guayota is a good place to start.
Guayota releases on August 13 on Steam and Nintendo Switch, but there’s a demo available if you need convincing.
