Review of Everdeep Aurora for Switch

Two years back—wow, seems like forever—I found myself wandering around PAX West 2023. Was supposed to check out the latest games, that’s what conventions are for, right? But then this game, Everdeep Aurora, caught my eye. No enemies, just puzzles and exploring. Somehow, it had this real laid-back vibe. I left curious and, wouldn’t you know it, jumped at the chance to really dig into it. Strange how things stick with you.

Alright, so the game, Everdeep Aurora. You’re this little kitten called Shell looking for her mom. There’s a meteor shower—yeah, the sky totally messing up—and everybody’s underground. Shell’s got this basic drill, and she’s digging deeper and deeper. Typical day, right? Anyway, things start getting pretty weird below. You meet all kinds of folks—a girl hunting for her dog, a frog with daughter issues, a snake that’s basically a con artist… it’s like some bizarre underground soap opera.

And oh, those characters! They come with their own baggage. Helping them out isn’t just for brownie points; it actually helps Shell get a souped-up drill and other neat moves. Kindness pays off, who knew?

Alright, exploration. It’s the name of the game here. Shell picks up all sorts of junk—hats, random documents about the world’s lore, even gems to juice up her drill. Everything’s got this old-school, Game Boy Color look, which brought this rush of nostalgia. Anyway, where was I? Right, there are these mini-games—like all of a sudden you’re playing a crane game or rolling dice. And tons of secret paths and endings. Got totally lost a few times but that’s the fun, sort of?

But man, talk about frustrating. The game seriously needs some guideposts. It’s like, you help this otter with a letter but then can’t remember where the post office is. The drill is cool, but even that got lost somehow. Every time I open the map, it’s like being asked to write a history exam I didn’t study for.

The Switch version? Not the smoothest ride. Slight frame jitters—like when the bus jerks awake at the stoplight—you get my drift. Not what’s expected for a game that isn’t too beefy.

Anyway, is Everdeep Aurora worth it? Kinda tricky to say. The music’s a total banger, the art is top-notch, and discovering stuff is amazing. But without any guidance? It’s easy to get stuck down there with no sense of direction. Maybe add a few guideposts and we’re golden. Until then, if you don’t mind getting lost—like, really lost—you’ll probably love it.

Rating it: Gameplay 6/10, Graphics and Sound 7/10, Replayability 7/10. Overall? Maybe a 6.7/10. Total chill game, but with enough gaps to drive you nuts.