Sephonie

Sephonie is an interesting puzzle-platformer but one that didn’t leave a lasting impression on myself. The sci-fi story didn’t do much for me, the platforming and puzzles needed more work to make them more enjoyable, and the visuals aren’t very detailed. There is plenty of options to make it so anyone can get through it but I think there are many better options in the genre out there to spend your time on.

Sephonie is a narrative-focused action platformer that follows three scientists on their journey to a somewhat living island named Sephonie. Along the way, they discover unique areas to traverse, interesting creatures, and more about themselves and their history. I was excited to get into this game, as I played and enjoyed Anodyne 2 last year, a game from the same developers. Did Sephonie make its way into my heart? Find out in this Rapid Review.

A mixed bag of intriguing ideas and story elements paired with over-complicated but pretty easy puzzles and awful 3D platforming

Sephonie is one of those games that’s absolutely bursting with ideas. Its Steam page called the game a “Tony-Hawk-esque 3D platformer”, it’s got lengthy dialogue sequences that are basically just philosophical musings, and one of the core parts of the game is cataloguing all the flora and fauna of an underground cave network – which you do via minigames that look like Tetris reimagined as a match-3 puzzle. Unfortunately, it also doesn’t have any notion of how to turn those ideas into a particularly interesting game.

This game has fun platforming, relaxing puzzles, and a great story that asks big questions with down-to-earth protagonists. Sephonie manages to juggle three strong cores to individual games and bind them together (if a bit loosely) to make a satisfying experience that pulls you in – it has definitely won me over after my time with it.

Perhaps some players won’t resonate with certain aspects of the narrative – but there’s so much here to get lost in and enjoy, that the heart of the design and atmosphere is what will draw you in, another corker from Analgesic Productions!

An interesting narrative-driven old-school infused 3D puzzle platformer

Sephonie is an enjoyable experience gameplay-wise, but every other element weighs down an otherwise great puzzle platforming experience.

Sephonie’s thematic scope is admirably wide-ranging, but its wordiness only crowds a game whose mechanics are tenuously connected. For a game that concerns the interconnectedness of all things, it’s unfortunate how awkwardly some of its pieces are glued together.

Sephonie is a game that succeeds in making non-punitive decisions for the player. What could be a frustrating experience becomes a relaxing and fun activity. However, this does not make it exempt from criticism, especially in platform sessions. The rich biodiversity draws attention for its creativity and excellent description of the species. This makes the environment more alive and rich, giving more pleasure to explore the scenarios for new living beings. Sephonie may have its problems, but it's included in the selection of those good games to pass the time.