Everhood

Even though the message of Everhood may not entirely land, the aural, visual, and gameplay experience, as a whole, is among the best on Switch. The rhythm combat is nothing short of perfection, and that it can be made more accessible by changing the difficulty at any time is sublime.

This isn’t exactly a rhythm game. While its descriptor may not be accurate, it’s still a marvellous game. Already a cult hit with fans of Undertale and other games of the sort, Everhood is a bizarre and groovy adventure that can’t be missed.

Everhood is one of the most memorable games we’ve played in recent years. Its utterly bonkers plot and weird cast of characters is reason enough to check it out, but the instantly accessible rhythmic combat will keep you hooked from the very first battle to the epic final boss encounter. Some may be put off by the minimal visual design and deliberately vague sequence of events, but for those after something a bit different, Everhood delivers originality and unique gameplay in spades and absolutely deserves a place in your Switch library.

Everhood wears its inspirations proudly on its sleeve, but it’s a different beast entirely. With hidden secrets, harder difficulties, and an absurd world that I’ve grown fond of, I think I’ll be back more than a few times to get on the dance floor with some old friends.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I took Everhood for review. Now that I've beaten the game once and touched upon New Game+, all I can say is this is my favorite 2021 indie so far. And I strongly think it will take something incredible to dethrone it from that position. Not only does it feature amazing music, but it also has evocative artwork and a compelling plot about mortality and human choice. If it helps, don't think of this as an indie. Think of it as required gaming for anyone that enjoys video games.

It’s a little hard to deal with initially, but the game is forgiving enough with its difficulty options that you should be able to get the ropes sooner or later. Once you do, it’s tremendous fun. All up it’s not the longest game around, but you certainly won’t regret the time you spend with it.

During its six-hour runtime, not counting the New Game Plus mode that gives access to extra battles, secrets, and endings, Everhood manages to not only distinguish itself from its influences, but also to turn the expectations that come with them upside-down, all to provide an experience that can’t be found anywhere else. Whether or not the game will achieve a cult status remains to be seen, but players itching for something out of the ordinary better not let Everhood slip under their radar.

One way or another, Everhood will forever leave its mark on your gaming journey.

Near the beginning of Red’s adventure, Everhood asks the player if they wish to know the “absolute truth,” which could aid them in their journey, but also hinder their understanding of reality. The player is asked again at the game’s conclusion. I said no both times, but I think Everhood’s message is there are no absolute truths. It’s up to the player to decide what is right, wrong, and what their purpose is, and in doing so, Everhood provides a one-of-a-kind experience.

Everhood is a fun rhythm game with a mystic and eerie story, full of esoteric and cosmic vibes. It is the anti-Undertale, in term of narrative choices, but Foreign Gnomes cannot escape Toby Fox’s shadow.

Everhood is nothing if not memorable. There’s flaws here and there, but they pale in comparison to the fun and unique time I had. It’s not a very long game, taking around six hours or so for the true ending, but there’s plenty of different choices to make and self-imposed challenges to try.

Everhood is an enchanting rhythm-based adventure that falls short of greatness due to a few technical issues. Its combat system is an absolute joy and the music is brilliant, however, frame-rate drops and lengthy load times hinder what could have been a great experience.

Everhood could have been more but, in the end, cannot fully deliver the experience it has suggested in the beginning.