Evergate

Evergate is a wonderfully designed puzzle-platformer that starts off strong and goes from strength to strength over the course of its campaign. Every new world you encounter here adds a new twist to proceedings, gradually becoming more complex as it layers mechanics on top of one each other, enabling you to experiment and come up with your own unique ways to bound across its intricate levels. Speed-running here, for us, feels like it was tacked on for no real reason but, besides this one little misstep, this really is an essential purchase for puzzle/platforming fans and a standout example of its genre on Switch.

Evergate is a precision puzzle platformer which looks beautiful and sounds fantastic. Although the controls take some getting used to, the intricately designed levels provide a wealth of challenge, and the power-up system offers many different ways to play.

Evergate is remarkably clever. It's a short and sweet treat of a game that constantly invents new ways to interact with the world and to blend game elements together, making for a satisfying test of brainpower and reflexes.

Evergate gave us a stimulating and extremely evocative experience whose underlying apparent simplicity was only the prelude to a progression full of stimuli and interesting ideas.

The collecting and speed-running aspects offer something different for all playstyles, which is really appealing for those who want a little more of a challenge.

Using the Soulflame to conquer Ki's challenges gives Evergate a twist on the usual style of puzzle platformers. The innocence of Ki makes it easy to want to protect her, to help Ki figure out exactly what is going on, and why she can see memories that aren't her own. The difficulty level may prove too much of a challenge for the more casual platform fan but will provide hours of entertainment for those who seek out challenges and want to unlock every achievement in this intriguing title. Even if the end isn't reached, the highly detailed levels and clever game mechanics make any time spent in Evergate worthwhile.

For a game about delving into memories, Evergate isn't particularly memorable. Its style and gameplay are very evocative of other more noteworthy platformers. But that doesn't mean this is terrible. It constantly introduces new mechanics that increase the challenge with an eccentric take on the afterlife and reincarnation. It won't be mentioned in the same breath as popular indie platforming titles like Celeste or Super Meat Boy, but if you're a fan of puzzle platforming games in general then Evergate should make for a grand old time.

Even though its premise has a lot of promise, Evergate's reliance on trial and error makes the experience feel more frustrating than fun.

It's just a shame that the available options for a player feel so limiting within the actual stages of Evergate, because there is so much potential here. But outside of the presentation, I found myself mostly getting frustrated with the experience. The puzzles rely on timing instead of cleverness, the platforming relies on planning instead of skill, and the movement becomes limiting due to the conditions before it can be used. I really wished I could give this game some higher praise. Perhaps players who are looking for a slow platformer that rewards trial and error without much gratification can get a kick out of Evergate. But personally I am not planning on ever playing it again.