Etherborn LadiesGamers

Review Etherborn (Switch)

Game: Etherborn
Genre: Puzzle game
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam/Xbox One/PS4 )
Publishers|Developers: Altered Matter
Price: € 16,99  | $16.99| £14.24
Age Rating: EU 3+| USA E
Release Date: 18th July 2019

Review code kindly provided by Altered Matter

Successful Fig Campaign

Developers Altered Matter started a crowdfunding campaign on Fig a while back with a goal of $30.000 for Etherborn. They not only met their goal for release on PC but exceeded it and now they are able to bring their game to other consoles as well. By now, Etherborn has already won various awards from EGX and GameLab.

In Etherborn you take control of a semi transparent being who is born into a world where a bodiless voice speaks to you. You begin a journey to follow and find the voice to fully understand your existence. 

Etherborn LadiesGamers

Etherborn is a navigation- based puzzle game with a hint of platforming brought together with a difference: the laws of physics behave differently from what you are used to. You experience gravity perpendicular to the surface you are standing on. Or, to put it another way, it messes with your brain, in a good way though.

Follow the lights and explore

As the soft mesmerising voice guides you through different areas, that have their own distinct feel and atmosphere, you collect white light orbs. They are scattered around the levels which are used to activate switches that alter your surroundings. This is usually done by moving some part of the structure you’re on to help you explore further.

Etherborn LadiesGamers

Exploring is fun but does require thinking and concentration as something as simple as walking can have the end result of falling to your death. The level shifts and gravity changes as you move along, so be careful. The level rotates depending on what you walk on: walk down walls with smooth edges, which are a bit like a ramp, and your surroundings shift letting you reach other previously unobtainable areas. 

Using LEGO to work it out

Etherborn first level teaches you it’s all about gravity moving physics. After that you think to yourself “I’ve got this”. Until you progress in the levels that is, then you find it’s really challenging. I found myself really baffled in some of the levels as the world around changed. Like right being right until the world rotated and turning right lead you to fall to your death and not along a path. It confused my brain for a few seconds and I had to reorientate myself with where I was after the world moved.

I guess that may be part of the Developer Altered Mater intent when creating the game. During development the team at Altered Matter used LEGO to visualise and work out how the gravity would function with different directions. What comes to my mind while playing Etherborn is it’s like walking along the surface of a Rubik Cube while someone is rotating it. 

Etherborn LadiesGamers

Graphics and music are calming

Graphically Etherborn has gone for the less is more look with its geometrical pastel coloured structures. This worked for me as too much detail would distract from the gravity defining mechanics. The same can be said for the music as it has a calmness to it while it plays gently in the background that takes the edge of the more challenging puzzles.

The camera can sometimes be a little annoying as it’s semi-fixed and I felt it occasionally restricted my view of the level. I would have preferred to have a camera I was able to move freely with around the area I was on.

Etherborn LadiesGamers

Conclusion

Etherborn offers an unusual puzzle experience and I found it enjoyable and challenging. I haven’t quite finished it yet as I think I have to recharge some brain cells before I can return to follow the haunting voice.

There is no punishment for failing or falling. You are regenerated to the place where you where before the fall. Nor is there a time limit on the levels, so Etherborn offers lots of experimentation as you try to find your way to the end. 

If you’re looking for a mind bending puzzle game with relaxing calming music then you should give Etherborn a try. 

I like it

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