Europa
- October 11, 2024
- Novadust Entertainment
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"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.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Visually stunning with beautiful environments and a captivating art style reminiscent of Studio Ghibli.
- Relaxing gameplay with a soothing soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Engaging story that evokes emotion and encourages exploration, making it a cozy and heartwarming journey.
- Controls can feel clunky and imprecise, leading to frustrating platforming sections and a lack of fluidity in movement.
- Gameplay is shallow and repetitive, with limited exploration due to invisible walls and a linear structure.
- The game is short, and while it offers a pleasant experience, some players may find it lacking in depth and challenge.
- story138 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally praised for its emotional depth and beautiful presentation, often compared to Studio Ghibli's aesthetic. While many players find it engaging and touching, some criticize its predictability and reliance on text and audio logs for storytelling, which can detract from immersion. Overall, the narrative is seen as a heartfelt journey that complements the game's stunning visuals and soundtrack, though it may not resonate with everyone.
“The writing, art style, character design, narration, and soundtrack all culminated for an incredibly engaging story.”
“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.”
“Following the android Zee as he follows his late creator's guiding notes across the terraformed Europa to the remains of humanity on the Ark, the story is simple, but engaging and very touching.”
“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.”
“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.'”
“Where the game falls short is that the story is entirely told through the 'old man' 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.”
- gameplay111 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as simple and shallow, relying heavily on basic mechanics that encourage exploration but often feel floaty and imprecise. While the flying mechanic is highlighted as enjoyable, many players found the overall experience lacking in depth and challenge, with some mechanics becoming frustrating over time. The game is visually stunning and offers a relaxing atmosphere, making it more appealing to those who prioritize aesthetics over intricate gameplay.
“A beautiful game, much shorter than I expected, but the art style was absolutely gorgeous and the movement mechanics were a lot of fun and really simple to pick up.”
“The visual style is incredible, the gameplay is relaxing and pleasant, and the story is compelling.”
“Europa is one of those games that nails its core movement mechanic to the point that it's consistently fun to play.”
“The open-world looking graphics belie the fact that this game runs on a very narrow rail, and the mechanic for keeping the player on that rail (sudden wind and clouds that blow you back on the beaten track) comes out of nowhere to spank you for being curious.”
“I kept waiting for a moment when the gameplay would click and the mobility would get faster and open up, but you really just feel floaty and slow for most of the game, with the exception of some very pointless on-rails sections.”
“- uninspired gameplay loops: running around collecting glowing insects to advance instead of any meaningful gameplay, or pressing buttons to shut down laser-emitting robots.”
- music109 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its beauty, emotional depth, and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. Described as calming and evocative, the soundtrack complements the stunning visuals and heartfelt narrative, creating a memorable and immersive experience. Some users noted that while the music is generally excellent, a few found it too soothing or repetitive for their taste.
“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.”
“The visuals and music are so stunning at times it almost brought me to tears.”
“- boring and sleepy piano/synth music, the same music I listen to fall asleep.”
“The soundtrack is so calming.”
“[*] relaxing soundtrack.”
- graphics92 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and beautiful art style, often compared to the works of Studio Ghibli, creating a captivating, fairytale-like atmosphere. Many reviewers appreciate the vibrant color palettes and smooth movement, although some express a desire for a more open-world experience. While the visuals are a highlight, a few critics note that the focus on aesthetics may detract from gameplay enjoyment.
“The visuals for this game are stunning, with beautiful scenery and locations which make me wish for more of an open world type game just like this.”
“Beautiful artwork and smooth movement in this captivating, fairytale-like environment.”
“The visuals and music are so stunning at times it almost brought me to tears.”
“Too much focus on graphics and being a 'chill' game that it just misses out on being fun.”
“The art style didn't click with me.”
“I feel like I've seen this kind of art style in many games, but it lacks the bit that makes it unique.”
- emotional30 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its touching and heartfelt story, complemented by a beautiful soundtrack and visuals. Players find the narrative engaging and evocative, often leading to genuine emotional responses, despite some predictability. Overall, the game is described as a cozy and wholesome experience, ideal for those seeking a peaceful journey through a beautifully crafted world.
“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.”
“Following the android Zee as he follows his late creator's guiding notes across the terraformed Europa to the remains of humanity on the Ark, the story is simple, but engaging and very touching.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by stunning visuals, soothing music, and immersive soundscapes that create a relaxing experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of wonder and tranquility, making it ideal for those seeking a chill, storybook-like adventure. Despite some comparisons to more narrative-rich titles, the overall ambiance is considered a standout feature.
“The focus is on the music, visuals, and ultimately a relaxing atmosphere.”
“Pros: gorgeous atmospheric scenery, with moments of flying around and through it.”
“If you're looking for a soothing storybook experience with some very light puzzling and an amazing atmosphere, this is the right kind of game.”
“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.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the lack of indicators for missed collectibles, which complicates the completionist experience. The slow character movement and control issues further contribute to the frustration, making exploration feel burdensome rather than enjoyable. Despite these challenges, some players believe that the effort to achieve 100% completion will ultimately be rewarding.
“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.”
“Character control can leave something to be desired, and moving through the relatively large environment can become intensely tedious and slow at the moment the fun meter (levitation) is reduced to zero.”
“There's no indicator on chapter select for which levels you've missed emeralds/chests or zephyr upgrades, so the 100% completion will be a bit tedious.”
- character development4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is notably lacking, with many reviewers highlighting it as a significant missed opportunity despite the engaging story, art style, and overall presentation. The narrative fails to provide meaningful growth or depth to the characters, detracting from the overall experience.
“The writing, art style, character design, narration, and soundtrack all culminated in an incredibly engaging story.”
“His character development is a huge missed opportunity: there is none.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability on the Steam Deck, with multiple users reporting a smooth performance.
“It runs great on Steam Deck.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Users feel that the game lacks sufficient replayability and suggest that downloadable content (DLC) could enhance its longevity and encourage players to revisit it.
“Maybe this could be a DLC to give it some replay value?”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users generally find the optimization of the game to be impressive, noting that it delivers strong performance at a reasonable price.
“The price is decent, the performance is really good.”
