Europa

Europa is the closest thing we have to a Ghibli movie in video game form. With stunning visuals, a relaxing atmosphere, satisfying movement mechanics, and an intriguing mystery to uncover, Europa is a game worth losing an afternoon to.

81%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, replayability

86% User Score Based on 437 reviews

Critic Score 74%Based on 8 reviews

Platforms

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About

Europa is a single player action adventure game with fantasy, mystery and science fiction themes. It was developed by Helder Pinto and was released on October 11, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Europa" is a single-player Mystery Action game with an emotive storyline, set on the verdant moon Europa. As an android named Zee, explore the breathtaking world, solve puzzles within the ruins of a fallen civilization, and discover humanity's relationship with nature in this 3-4 hour adventure. With free-flowing movement and a delightful soundtrack, "Europa" invites you to run, glide and fly across the landscape, building power and momentum as you search for answers.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 437 reviews

story120 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

Stunning visuals and art style reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, creating a beautiful and immersive experience.
Relaxing gameplay with smooth movement mechanics, allowing players to glide and explore the world effortlessly.
Touching narrative delivered through journal entries, enhancing the emotional depth of the game.

Controls can feel floaty and imprecise, leading to frustrating moments during platforming sections.
The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and replayability.
Invisible walls and forced camera angles can disrupt the flow of exploration and immersion.

story
237 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
47%
2%
The story of Europa is generally described as charming and emotionally engaging, often compared to the works of Studio Ghibli for its beautiful art style and heartfelt themes. While some players found the narrative predictable or lacking depth, many appreciated the gentle storytelling approach that unfolds through journal entries and voice narration, creating a meditative experience. Overall, the game is praised for its touching narrative, though it may not reach the emotional heights of similar titles like Journey.
- “The player is never forced to confront the story directly; instead, meaning emerges through the act of exploration itself, as if the land remembers and whispers its past through the ruins and skies.”
- “The story unfolds by notes scattered around the land narrated by the father, Adam.”
- “Europa is a beautiful game with an intriguing story and a wonderful narrator.”
- “The story never provided any hooks to draw me in emotionally; it has very little relevance to the gameplay, and it's also extremely predictable.”
- “Where the game falls short is that the story is entirely told through the 'old man''s monologue in the book that you pick up pages for through your journey, but within the world itself there's little to no worldbuilding/storybuilding.”
- “For roughly half of the game, the story falters to ensure the player gets 'the message,' forgetting the cardinal rule of storytelling: 'show, don't tell.'”
gameplay
149 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
68%
4%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its simple mechanics focused on movement and exploration, providing a relaxing experience rather than challenging puzzles or complex gameplay. While the fluidity of gliding and flying is often praised, many reviewers note that the gameplay feels shallow and repetitive, lacking depth and variety, with some mechanics described as clunky or frustrating. Overall, the game is best enjoyed for its beautiful art style and soothing atmosphere, rather than for its gameplay complexity.
- “The game has a beautiful art style, a charming story, and really relaxing gameplay.”
- “These mechanics give the player a feeling of effortless motion that becomes central to the experience—each leap and glide feels fluid, freeing, and deeply satisfying.”
- “The gameplay is super smooth, whether you're running, gliding, or flying around, and the puzzles hit that sweet spot of being fun without feeling impossible.”
- “It has very basic platforming and puzzle mechanics and relies heavily on its castle in the sky aesthetic to carry it as a visual experience.”
- “Levels are put one after another with no sense of connection and gameplay mechanics feel purposeless.”
- “The gameplay is clunky and the whole thing just feels unpolished and untested.”
graphics
139 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning art style, often compared to the works of Studio Ghibli, with vibrant colors and serene environments that create a relaxing atmosphere. However, some players noted inconsistencies in the UI and graphic design, which felt underdeveloped compared to the beautiful visuals. Overall, while the graphics are a standout feature, the gameplay mechanics received mixed reviews, suggesting a disconnect between the visual appeal and the overall gaming experience.
- “The visuals are absolutely breathtaking - there were moments I found myself pausing just to admire the surrounding landscapes.”
- “The art style is absolutely stunning, reminiscent of a watercolor palette, creating a visually soothing and immersive experience.”
- “The mood is helped by gorgeously soft aesthetics that feel like a melding of Studio Ghibli's Castle in the Sky and Journey, and a beautiful soundtrack.”
- “The first problem is that the game’s foundation—its beauty—doesn’t hold up (and I was playing on the highest graphics settings).”
- “The UI, graphic design, and typography did not at all match the visuals of the game and felt very underdeveloped.”
- “The artistic decision to make the player character and several other things use a thick-lined, cell-shaded art style is one I'm not keen on.”
music
137 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
32%
2%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful, atmospheric qualities, often described as soothing and reflective, enhancing the overall experience. Many players find it reminiscent of classic titles like "Journey" and "Castle in the Sky," with a blend of ambient piano melodies and delicate electronic undertones that create a calming atmosphere. While some critiques mention moments of generic sound, the majority agree that the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's emotional depth and immersive visuals.
- “The soundtrack complements this perfectly—ambient piano melodies and delicate electronic undertones create a sense of reflective calm that stays with the player long after the game ends.”
- “The music wraps around you like a warm blanket and the puzzles and mystery are all enjoyable.”
- “The music is absolutely fantastic and that cannot be overstated.”
- “That said, it suffers from the comparison to Journey, as that game is such a masterpiece that Europa's (sometimes) janky movement, just-okay music, and mildly preachy environmental justice story just can’t match it.”
- “- boring and sleepy piano/synth music, the same music I listen to fall asleep.”
- “Set against a backdrop of hauntingly atmospheric visuals and a melancholic soundtrack, the story follows a protagonist grappling with profound grief and existential despair.”
emotional
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Europa is praised for its emotionally rich narrative and serene atmosphere, drawing inspiration from Studio Ghibli and games like Journey. Players appreciate the minimal yet poignant writing, which evokes deep feelings of loss, isolation, and human connection, often leading to heartfelt reactions. The game’s beautiful visuals and soundtrack enhance the emotional experience, making it a cozy and touching journey that resonates with many, despite some critiques of predictability in the storyline.
- “Europa is an emotionally intense game that explores themes of loss, isolation, and the fragility of human connection in a beautifully haunting narrative.”
- “The story was amazing; what I thought was going to be a relatively straightforward story evolved into such a remarkable tale that genuinely made me emotional by the end.”
- “The story is the heart of Europa, and I'm glad to follow Adam's steps within such a heartwarming world, where every environment, creature, and detail is beautifully crafted.”
atmosphere
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
27%
10%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its serene and meditative qualities, enhanced by beautiful visuals, a soothing soundtrack, and subtle environmental effects. Players appreciate the emotional depth of the story and the relaxing gameplay, which focuses on exploration rather than combat. Overall, the game is described as a cozy, immersive experience that invites reflection and tranquility, making it ideal for unwinding.
- “Rather than relying on combat or high-stakes tension, Europa immerses the player in a meditative experience built around traversal, atmosphere, and storytelling through environment and sound.”
- “This attention to atmosphere is further enhanced by subtle weather effects, gentle lighting shifts, and moments where the camera pulls back to reveal sweeping vistas that make the player feel both small and connected to something greater.”
- “For players who value atmosphere, emotion, and reflection, Europa stands as one of the most beautifully realized indie experiences in recent years.”
- “The developers also fail to create the same atmosphere found in games like Journey or Shadow of the Colossus.”
- “And while those games have been developed by AAA studios back in the day, I have seen Crash Bandicoot fan games that had more narrative, a better atmosphere, and gameplay depth.”
- “Despite all this, I still recommend the game for its strong art direction and atmosphere.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
15%
71%
Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game; while some appreciate the lack of tedious puzzles and enjoy the casual exploration, others find the need to collect items for 100% completion to be frustrating and time-consuming. The absence of indicators for missed collectibles adds to the tedium, making some players reluctant to explore fully. Overall, the grinding aspect can detract from the otherwise enjoyable experience.
- “No tedious puzzles to break the flow - just exploration, gliding, and beautiful sceneries.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The puzzles and flying montages often felt tedious.”
- “I found it tedious to the point that I didn't want to explore too much to avoid running into them and stalling me for a few seconds each time.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
Overall, the game's replayability is somewhat limited due to its linear structure and straightforward puzzles, but players can find additional value in collecting emeralds and completing achievements. The presence of hidden collectibles offers some incentive for exploration, suggesting potential for future DLC to enhance replay value.
- “Besides that, I did enjoy the game, and there is replayability with finding all the emeralds and completing the Steam achievements.”
- “The puzzles are generally light, often requiring only simple observation or timing, and the linearity of the main path can limit replay value.”
- “As briefly mentioned at the beginning of the review, there are collectibles to gather along the way, so there is a bit of replayability in finding all of the hidden secrets of each area.”
- “Maybe this could be a DLC to give it some replay value?”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
While the game's presentation, including its writing, art style, and soundtrack, is praised for creating an engaging story, many users feel that character development is severely lacking, describing it as a significant missed opportunity.
- “The writing, art style, character design, narration, and soundtrack all culminated in an incredibly engaging story.”
- “Presentation: absolutely beautiful to look at, barring some parts of the character design, and the music is also mostly quite good.”
- “His character development is a huge missed opportunity: there is none.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
- “I was disappointed by how little the characters evolved throughout the game.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates excellent stability on the Steam Deck, with users reporting smooth performance and reliability during gameplay.
- “It runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a smooth gaming experience.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highly praised, with players finding it so enjoyable that they have nominated it for multiple Steam award categories.
- “I nominated it for so many Steam award categories, it's not even funny.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users find the optimization of the game to be commendable, noting that it delivers strong performance at a reasonable price.
- “The price is decent, and the performance is really good.”