Ever Forward

Ever Forward is a strikingly beautiful game with interesting and challenging puzzles, but harsh difficulty spikes make it a little more frustrating than it should be.

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"Ever Forward" is a puzzle-adventure game that follows a young girl named Maya who is trapped in a dream-like world. Players must solve increasingly complex puzzles to help Maya uncover her memories and find a way back to reality. The game features atmospheric visuals and a thought-provoking narrative that explores themes of loss, growth, and self-discovery.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

61%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

story10 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and calming soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
Puzzles are engaging and can be challenging, providing a satisfying mental workout.
The game features an interesting storyline that unfolds as players solve puzzles.

Puzzles can be either too easy or frustratingly difficult, leading to inconsistent gameplay experiences.
Subtitles are poorly synced and sometimes missing, making it hard to follow the story.
The game is short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and variety in puzzle design.

story
32 mentions
31 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally viewed as emotional and interesting, focusing on themes of family and memory, but it suffers from translation issues that can obscure key elements for non-Chinese speakers. While some players found the narrative engaging and well-integrated with the puzzles, others criticized it for being generic, lacking depth, and having gaps in explanation. Overall, the visuals and soundtrack are praised, but the storytelling leaves some players wanting more clarity and substance.
- “Ever Forward is a beautiful puzzle game with an emotional story.”
- “This game revolves around you solving puzzles to unlock memories, telling a very emotional story throughout that process.”
- “Beautiful graphics, a great soundtrack, fun puzzles, and an interesting storyline.”
- “The story/cutscenes are boring.”
- “Well, that may not be what the story is about because after five cutscenes without any substance whatsoever, I lost interest in it completely.”
- “One of the problems that I saw in the story was that there were gaps in the story as not everything is explained very well.”
gameplay
12 mentions
33 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by an engaging narrative and innovative puzzle design that evolves over time, keeping the experience fresh and challenging. While most mechanics encourage player creativity, some timed elements, particularly in the latter levels, can lead to frustration due to unclear mechanics and tedious pacing. Overall, the puzzles are well-crafted, though certain aspects may detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “Interesting narrative, interesting gameplay, puzzles are sick!”
- “New mechanics are shown to the player over time in order to keep the puzzles from getting stale.”
- “The puzzles are fun and engaging, with simple to understand mechanics and sometimes complex solutions.”
- “Puzzles should be completed with their own ideas and knowledge rather than uncontrollable timed mechanics.”
- “Not only are the puzzles tedious and slow, but they are very frustrating as there is not a very clear line to the mechanics of the sentry turrets and their line of sight.”
- “I will note that this does not mean timed mechanics can't be used in puzzle games, but they need to be done right in order to ensure that it's more than just waiting for the light to turn green at an intersection (metaphorically speaking).”
graphics
11 mentions
73 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful aesthetic and calming visuals, which effectively convey the game's emotional tone. While many players appreciate the art style and color scheme, some feel that the overall graphical quality does not meet the expectations set by the developer's reputation. Overall, the graphics are a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience alongside the soundtrack and storyline.
- “Beautiful graphics, a great soundtrack, fun puzzles, and an interesting storyline.”
- “The graphics in this game are simple yet express the feelings the game wants to convey in a beautiful way, accompanied by very calming and nice music.”
- “I love the art style.”
- “I very much wanted to like this game, but unfortunately the only thing it really has going for it is the graphics.”
music
9 mentions
56 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful and calming soundtrack, featuring mellow synthesizer sounds that enhance the overall atmosphere. While it may not be something players would actively jam to, it effectively complements the game's mood and visuals. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant highlight, adding depth to the gaming experience.
- “The soundtrack is full of mellow synthesizer sounds and the sound effects of the security bots are great!”
- “The soundtrack is great; it's not something you start jamming out to during the game, but it fits the mood of the game very well.”
- “The graphics in this game are simple yet express the feelings the game wants to convey in a quite beautiful way, accompanied by very calming and nice music.”
- “The soundtrack is full of mellow synthesizer sounds, but it lacks variety and excitement.”
- “I got this game as a bundle with the soundtrack, but the music feels repetitive and uninspired.”
- “I'm not sure if you can get a game soundtrack on Steam without getting the game, but if you can, I wouldn't recommend it.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
"Ever Forward" is praised for its beautiful visuals and deeply emotional narrative, as players solve puzzles to unlock poignant memories. Reviewers recommend it for those seeking a touching and immersive experience.
- “Ever Forward is a beautiful puzzle game with an emotional story.”
- “This game revolves around solving puzzles to unlock memories, telling a very emotional story throughout the process.”
- “I really enjoyed my experience and I recommend this game to anyone who wants to embark on a beautiful yet emotional journey.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to unclear mechanics related to the sentry turrets and their line of sight, which complicates puzzle-solving.
- “Not only are the puzzles tedious and slow, but they are also very frustrating due to the unclear mechanics of the sentry turrets and their line of sight.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which made the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”