ISOLAND4: The Anchor of Memory
- January 9, 2024
- Cotton Game
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"ISOLAND4: The Anchor of Memory" is the latest addition to the ISOLAND series, following "ISOLAND3: The Dust of the Universe." This game continues the tradition of intricate puzzles and maps, while also focusing on character development with a mix of familiar and new faces. It promises a rich narrative through abundant emotions, mystical dialogues, and hidden Easter eggs, leaving players to uncover the past and present of the Lost Island.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The hand-drawn art style is simple yet effective, creating a unique and compelling atmosphere.
- The game features a variety of interesting puzzles that encourage exploration and offer replay value with different experiences in subsequent playthroughs.
- The fast-travel map significantly enhances gameplay by reducing backtracking and making navigation more convenient.
- Some puzzles can be quite obscure, leading players to rely on walkthroughs for assistance.
- There are occasional inventory glitches that can disrupt gameplay and potentially softlock the game.
- The game is relatively short, with a playtime of about 2-3 hours, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- graphics12 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game maintain a similar style to its predecessors, featuring a simple yet effective aesthetic complemented by a surreal philosophical theme. Players appreciate the enhanced animations and charming art style, which contribute to an enjoyable visual experience, especially given the game's low price point. Overall, the graphics are well-received for their creativity and effectiveness in enhancing gameplay.
“The graphics are a quite simple style but very effective, and they have added much more animation this time to bring it all to life.”
“I like the art style of the isoland games.”
“(+) As usual, Cotton Game sets a very low price for how much work they do, with many enjoyable locations, nice art style, and a lot of cute animations to experience.”
“The graphics are quite simple, but they lack depth and detail, making the game feel outdated.”
“The visuals seem to be recycled from previous titles, lacking innovation and freshness.”
“While the graphics have a unique style, they often feel too simplistic and fail to immerse the player.”
- music10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in Cotton Game's latest offering is praised for its chill and relaxing vibe, complemented by a touch of melancholy that enhances the storytelling. While some users are uncertain if the soundtrack is original, they appreciate the inclusion of philosophical song lyrics spoken by characters, which adds depth to the narrative. Overall, the soundtrack is well-received and aligns perfectly with the game's themes.
“The story always has a deeper meaning than you first realize, and this time there are also some lyrics from great songs spoken by the characters in the game.”
“I am not sure if the soundtrack is original to the game, but I really enjoyed the chill music; it's nice and relaxing with a bit of melancholy to it.”
“(+) Loved the soundtrack; the chill vibes and the melancholy were perfect for the story.”
“I am not sure if the soundtrack is original to the game, but I also really enjoyed the chill music, nice and relaxing with a bit of melancholy to it.”
- story8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is praised for its deeper meanings and relatability, particularly in exploring themes of aging and reflection on life choices. Reviewers appreciate the balance between text and visual storytelling, as well as the impactful soundtrack that enhances the narrative's emotional depth. Overall, the narrative is described as thought-provoking yet accessible, resonating well with players.
“The story always has a deeper meaning than you first realize, and this time there are also some lyrics from great songs spoken by the characters in the game.”
“I thought the narrative was very thought-provoking without being too complicated; there is a nice balance between text and visual storytelling.”
“Personally, I found the story very relatable, perfectly capturing the experience of getting older and reflecting on how you arrived at this point in your life.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game experiences occasional inventory glitches that can lead to softlocks, but players have noted that these can often be resolved by restarting the game. While these issues are frustrating, they are not frequent enough to overshadow the overall enjoyment of the game, which is praised for its emotional depth and escapism. Users express hope for future updates to address these glitches, though the developer's response time has been noted as slow.
“My only problem is that sometimes the game has inventory glitches; you might be able to work around some of them by re-entering the game.”
“Hopefully, they fix those glitches, although they are usually very slow to react; aside from that, I didn't have any significant issues.”
“Aside from a few inventory glitches that can potentially softlock the game, it's my second favorite game from the developer in terms of being emotionally charged.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is relatively short, typically lasting 2-5 hours, but offers replayability with new scenes and slightly altered puzzles for a fresh experience. Players feel they receive good value for their time, especially if they enjoy solving puzzles.
“Although fairly short at about 2-3 hours of gameplay, the best thing about many of the games from this developer is that you can play the game again with a few new scenes to find and slightly different puzzles the second time around.”
“I'd say 3-5 hours of gameplay depending on how good you are at solving puzzles, so you're absolutely getting your money's worth of entertainment.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the inclusion of a map feature that enables fast travel to previously visited locations, significantly reducing the tedious backtracking often associated with grinding in point-and-click games. This design choice enhances the overall gameplay experience by streamlining exploration.
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth and philosophical themes, making it a strong contender among the developer's works, despite some minor technical issues. While it may not evoke as intense feelings as other titles, it still offers a meaningful and enjoyable escapist experience.
“Aside from a few inventory glitches that can potentially softlock the game, it's my second favorite game from the developer in terms of being emotionally charged. Even though it didn't hit me as hard as the elevator, it's still a philosophical experience with enjoyable escapism.”
