Review: Everdeep Aurora for Nintendo Switch

Man, I gotta tell you about this time—PAX West 2023, yeah? So there I was, wandering around, probably way more lost than I should’ve been. And I stumbled onto this game, Everdeep Aurora. Chillest vibes ever. I mean, no enemies, just you, puzzles, and a whole lot of ground to dig through. I walked away curious, honestly couldn’t stop thinking about it, so of course I had to dive in properly at home.

Anyway—what’s this game about? You play this kitten, Shell, looking for her mom. Kinda cute, right? But oh man, things get trippy. Meteor shower comes down like chaos from the sky, and everyone dives underground. So, naturally, you grab this basic drill and start digging. Sounds simple? Nah, things get much deeper—pun maybe intended.

Digging away, you meet all these funky characters. Like, there’s this girl who’s missing her dog, a daughter-disowning frog, a snake who can’t keep his hands out of your pockets (not literally—yeah, you get it), and two otters who can’t stop fighting about—well, I never really figured that part out. But you can’t just ignore them; helping these folks gets you upgrades like a stronger drill and, what was it? A propulsion boost thingy.

And then there’s exploration. So many things—hats, documents, gems for your drill—it’s like a packrat’s dream. The graphics? Retro Game Boy Color vibes but somehow, it doesn’t feel dated at all. The unexpected twists, like playing a crane game in the middle of this underground venture—who thought of this? But hey, no judging, ‘cause that’s where the magic is. Multi-endings and all, I guess.

But—and this is a big but—get ready to feel lost. Hardly any waypoints. A basic map, they call it—I call it a forget-me-not. No quest logs, either. You’re like, oh, who needed that dog again? And by the way, if you’re like me on the Switch, get ready for those frame skips that make you feel like you’re running in molasses. Weirdly charming, but a bit annoying.

Let’s get real, though: this game’s a mixed bag. Graphics—great. Music—thumb up. Characters—complicated but fun. But practically? It needs guidance like a thirsty plant needs water. A few pointers here and there, and boom, we’d have something solid. As it is… it’s not for the easily frustrated, trust me on that.

So there you have it. Everdeep Aurora, the lost-and-found of gaming. It’s a coin toss between relaxation and pulling your hair out. Play it, or at least think about it. Up to you, really.