Evan's Remains
- June 11, 2020
- maitan69
- 3h median play time
An easy going puzzle platformer, with a dramatic and emotional story. Evan's Remains is enjoyable from start to finish, with plenty of options to skip content you're struggling with.
"Evan's Remains" is a mystery-filled puzzle platformer adventure game. Players help Dysis, a girl with photographic memory, search for a missing genius named Evan. The game features challenging puzzles, a captivating story, and beautifully pixelated art style. Players must uncover the secrets of Evan's past and his mysterious island to progress through the game.
Reviews
- The graphics and art style are beautiful, creating a captivating atmosphere.
- The story is engaging and emotional, with unexpected twists that keep players invested.
- The puzzles are fun and intuitive, allowing players to enjoy the gameplay without excessive frustration.
- The pacing is uneven, with excessive dialogue that can detract from the overall experience.
- Some players may find the story convoluted and difficult to follow, leading to confusion.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- story425 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a central focus, often described as beautiful, emotional, and engaging, with many players appreciating its twists and depth. However, some critiques highlight that the narrative can become convoluted and overly complex, leading to a lack of resolution and pacing issues due to excessive dialogue. Overall, while the story captivates many, it also polarizes opinions regarding its execution and coherence.
“The story is genuinely really beautiful.”
“What a story... what an ending... quite an emotional experience.”
“The story in this game is really interesting and kept me engaged the whole time.”
“The story seemed promising, but the twists did not feel earned, and by the end, the plot was too convoluted to enjoy.”
“The mystery that the story builds up falls completely flat in the end, when a bunch of plot twists come out of nowhere, invalidating a bunch of the plot and leaving plot holes galore.”
“In the end, all the reveals and fake plot twists about upbringing, Evan's 'genius', and Dysis do not matter, and everything is left unresolved, because all characters in the first 90% of the game were just acting in such a way as to fool the player into an emotional story.”
- music87 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to create a relaxing atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its soothing and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack features a mix of calming and engaging tracks, often reminiscent of old-school chiptune, which complements the gorgeous pixel art and narrative elements effectively. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and emotional impact.
“The music was beautiful too, and there was always something new based on the chapter.”
“The atmosphere, pixel art, and music are fantastic though, so it's a nice escape for a few hours.”
“The music is beautiful and the visuals are gorgeous; the theme ended up leaving me with tears in my eyes.”
“Tldr: excellent art, solid soundtrack, awful story.”
“Most games repeat the soundtrack over and over again but the depth of the soundtrack is fantastic.”
“Most games repeat the soundtrack over and over again but the depth of the soundtrack is fantastic.”
- graphics61 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beauty and charm, featuring stunning pixel art and a captivating art style that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the combination of gorgeous visuals and a relaxing soundtrack, creating a calming atmosphere that complements the engaging puzzle mechanics. Overall, the art and graphics are considered a standout aspect, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“The graphics and art are beautiful, and the puzzle mechanics are really cool as well.”
“Beautiful graphics, great storyline!”
“The graphics are probably the best part, dripping in pixelated goodness, and the music is relaxing and fits what the game is going for.”
“The graphics are cute, the soundtrack is very relaxing.”
“Some easy-to-moderate puzzles, pretty pixel graphics (although the moon did bother me), and solid dialogue.”
“Cute story (although a little confusing at times) and endearing graphics.”
- gameplay57 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of simple puzzles and platforming elements, often described as beginner-friendly and cozy, making it accessible for casual players. However, many reviews note that the gameplay feels secondary to the narrative, with some expressing a desire for more challenging puzzles and a better balance between story and gameplay. Overall, while the mechanics are appreciated for their creativity and ease, the experience is often seen as more of a narrative journey with gameplay elements rather than a robust gaming experience.
“Game play was cozy, very beginner friendly in mechanics whilst requiring troubleshooting/extra thought.”
“The gameplay is pretty chill - good game to relax with.”
“The puzzles were pleasant, their mechanics were not difficult to understand, they were user-friendly but also challenging, giving you a nice feel of satisfaction upon completing them.”
“I thought that the story and gameplay were a bit on the weaker side.”
“The further you go, the more of the gameplay is just storytelling; there is just a bare minimum of puzzle solving and the puzzles don't get harder, so 90% of it is just a visual novel.”
“Overall, there is maybe thirty minutes of gameplay here (if that), padded out with another 2 hours of story that could have been easily condensed into 30 minutes with better writing.”
- emotional37 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its heartfelt moments, touching narrative, and beautiful presentation that evoke strong feelings, including tears. However, some critiques highlight that the story's complexity and unnecessary plot twists can detract from its emotional impact, leaving certain players feeling unsatisfied or confused. Overall, while the game successfully delivers an emotional experience for many, its execution may not resonate with everyone.
“What a story... what an ending... quite an emotional experience.”
“Just one word: heartbreaking.”
“The puzzles were interesting without being too challenging, and the charming art style combined with a touching story and good music made for an all-around enjoyable experience.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning pixel art, soothing music, and immersive environments, creating a relaxing and surreal experience. Reviewers highlight the effective blend of visuals and sound that enhances the narrative, making it a captivating escape. While some feel the story may lack depth, the overall aesthetic and atmospheric elements are consistently described as beautiful and engaging.
“The atmosphere, pixel art, and music are fantastic, so it's a nice escape for a few hours.”
“The pixel art and animation are downright gorgeous, and the music is soothing and somewhat atmospheric.”
“A beautiful, story-rich experience with breathtaking atmosphere and visuals.”
“But in the end, none of that ever gets resolved, and you realize all of them are just 'icing' created to add atmosphere to an otherwise mediocre story.”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is notably strong, with impactful conversations that enhance the narrative and resonate with players. The character designs and environments are visually appealing, contributing to the overall immersive experience. Players who appreciate story-rich games will find the character arcs particularly engaging.
“The plot is thickening, and the character development is impressive.”
“There were some stand-out moments, mainly in the conversations focused on character development rather than plot advancement; and some of the topics the story delves into will certainly resonate with many players.”
“All of the character designs as well as environments are very appealing and well done.”
“There were some stand-out moments, mainly in the conversations focused on character development rather than plot advancement; however, the overall character development felt lacking.”
“While the character designs are appealing, the depth of character development is superficial and fails to engage the player emotionally.”
“The writing has its moments, but the character development is inconsistent and often feels rushed, leaving players wanting more depth.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game's optimization is lacking, with poor performance and limited options contributing to a subpar experience. Players noted that the game's brevity and lack of engaging content further highlight these optimization issues. Overall, enhancements in performance settings could potentially improve the gameplay experience.
“The performance options are extensive and really help in fine-tuning the game to run smoothly on various systems.”
“I appreciate the optimization features that allow me to customize graphics settings for the best performance.”
“The game runs incredibly well after adjusting the optimization settings, making for a much more enjoyable experience.”
“The story isn't interesting, because you can see the twist since the initial problem is presented. The ending is not engaging; the art isn't anything special (it's not bad, but it could be better), and the optimization is lacking as well; I completed the entire game in less than 30 minutes.”
“Performance options would probably fix this.”
“Because the content of the game is so minimal, the performance of the game is also very poor.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is noted for its surprising addictiveness and self-awareness, particularly in a cutscene that humorously acknowledges the erratic difficulty curve of its puzzles. This blend of wit and charm adds to the overall enjoyment, even as it hints at the game's flaws.
“On top of that, hilariously, one of the cutscenes acknowledges that the difficulty curve of these puzzles is all over the place, as if acknowledging the game's flaws without actually addressing them makes it all better.”
“[laughing] okay, this game is surprisingly addictive.”
“[chuckling] you got it, boss.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be heavily marred by excessive and tedious dialogue, along with numerous cutscenes that detract from the overall experience. The convoluted plot twists further contribute to the frustration, making the grinding feel even more laborious.
“There is a ton of tedious dialogue and the plot twists only make sense in the writer's head.”
“There is so much tedious dialogue and endless cutscenes.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is praised for its cozy and beginner-friendly mechanics, though players noted that it sometimes requires troubleshooting and additional thought to navigate certain challenges.
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
“I encountered several bugs that disrupted my gameplay and forced me to restart.”
“The stability issues are frustrating; I lost progress multiple times due to unexpected errors.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability as each playthrough remains largely unchanged; however, players can revisit specific segments at their leisure without interruptions, allowing for a more enjoyable experience of favorite moments.
“The game offers a unique experience with each playthrough, encouraging players to explore different strategies and outcomes.”
“I love how the game allows me to revisit specific levels and challenges, making it enjoyable to replay without feeling repetitive.”
“Even after finishing the main story, there are plenty of side quests and collectibles that keep me coming back for more.”
“While there isn't much replayability, per se (nothing changes from each playthrough), I have the option to go back and enjoy specific pieces without having to be interrupted.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making each playthrough feel almost identical to the last.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to return, as the experience doesn't change with subsequent runs.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect is criticized for being misleading, as players feel that the game's promotional material promises a rich experience that ultimately falls short, resembling a facade rather than the substantial content expected.
“It's like watching a water park ad on TV with a giant castle and huge water tunnel, and then arriving at the park only to realize the castle is a cardboard prop for taking pictures, and the water tunnel is still under construction.”
“The monetization feels like a cash grab, where every feature that should be included in the game is locked behind a paywall.”
“I expected a full experience, but instead, I was bombarded with constant prompts to spend money on items that should have been part of the game.”
Critic Reviews
Evan’s Remains review
An easy going puzzle platformer, with a dramatic and emotional story. Evan's Remains is enjoyable from start to finish, with plenty of options to skip content you're struggling with.
80%Evan's Remains
Evan's Remains Review — A Middle-Ground Mystery
78%Evan's Remains
Evan's Remains Review — A Middle-Ground Mystery
78%