“Slow burn” is a great way to describe Phoenotopia, as you’ll be spending a lot of time just chatting up NPCs and memorizing details as much as you will be getting good at the next boss’ pattern. Because of this, the game is allowed to shift between intense action and slow cerebral puzzle solving without it becoming a jarring juxtaposition. Between the music, the incredible amount of detail in the backgrounds, and the way the story is presented, Phoenotopia feels like a world, not just a video game. One of the reasons “realism” – or believably – is so important even with Phoenotopia’s otherwise campy atmosphere is because immersion is so important to making the game work. Every success makes you feel awesome, and builds on the trust the game’s world gives to Gail as a character. The way the game explains why anyone would trust a teenager with the most dangerous criminals in the region is satirically hilarious. Your next quest involves a lot of talking to NPCs and looking for clues on what to do next, which ultimately leads you to dealing with a local bandit tribe. Many games include youthful protagonists being thrust into unlikely situations, but rarely are all of the details for why they were “chosen” filled out so meticulously as they are in Phoenotopia Awakening. Setting out with Gail feels like a true adventure partially because the situation makes it so real. For the sake of survival, one orphan stays behind to organize and assist the children, while Gail is sent to the nearest city to find others to help. While Gail and the other children are doing everything but hastily returning home for supper, a flying saucer suddenly appears and kidnaps everyone in the village, leaving only the absent children remaining. When she finds the other oldest orphan it would seem that they were investigating a shooting star, and by joining in on that investigation you’re treated to the game’s first dungeon without too much plot getting in the way. These children, apparently, are allowed to play in a nearby forest, so Gail must perform a bit of tutorial infused exploration to find them all. She is asked by the orphanage’s director to gather the children because it’s time for supper. It’s also available on Nintendo Switch.The story begins with our pink-haired protagonist Gail waking up in her room at the local orphanage. Phoenotopia: Awakening is available now on Steam. And with an estimated 30+ hours of game time, there’s an awful lot to stick your teeth into for the asking price of £14.99/$19.99. If you’re a fan of old-school adventure RPGs or Metroidvania games, you’ll find a lot to love here. We’ve only scratched the surface of what Phoenotopia: Awakening has to offer, but we’ve been enchanted by it. Over time, you’ll uncover rocket boots, bombs and more.
Her first weapon is little more than a stick, but she’ll soon find better weapons to protect herself with. Each track perfectly accompanies the game’s world.Īs you progress through Phoenotopia: Awakening, Gail will acquire new weapons and tools, allowing her to reach new areas and tackle greater challenges. It’s accompanied by a truly evocative soundtrack, filled with a huge range of original songs. From the blue skies and rolling greenery of Gail’s village to the dusty brickwork of a long-forgotten dungeon, every area is a joy to explore. So much detail is crammed into every scene, and every environment is awash with colour and vibrancy. What’s perhaps most striking about Phoenotopia, though, is its gorgeous pixel art.
Needless to say, Phoenotopia: Awakening pulls inspiration from a myriad of sources, but they’ve been combined expertly to create something that feels altogether new, yet comfortably familiar. On the other hand, the game’s overworld map reeks of classic Final Fantasy, yet the side-scrolling platforming and exploration makes it feel more like a Metroidvania.
There’s a whiff of old-school Zelda here, as Gail explores dungeons, dispatching foes and solving puzzles along the way. What else can she do other than take charge, and find out what has happened to all the adults? Without warning, the adults of her village are all abducted, leaving her as the oldest member of her community. Her life has been unremarkable up until now, when a great mystery calls her to action. The game casts you as Gail, a young woman who has grown up in a small village. Out now on PC, Phoenotopia: Awakening combines classic action-adventure gaming with platforming, to great effect.
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