Analysis of the star named EOS

Playism tells us an emotional story in a hand-drawn puzzle game

Every now and then a title appears as The star named EOSwhich is a haven of peace among so many action and adventure titles that demand all our skill. Studio Silver Lining and publisher PLAYISM launch a hand-painted narrative proposal based on photography that will challenge us with ingenious puzzles.

Of thethe protagonist wakes up from a repeating dream, in which his mother tells him how “If you look at the stars, the stars will look at you”. This is the premise that will prevail until the end and both the photography and the reading of emotional letters will lead Dei to untangle the past with his mother.

The Star Named EOS tells the story of a professional photographer who tells us about the world through what she captures with her lens, even though war separates her from her beloved son. This will be the central thread of the plot, in which Dei will have to reconstruct her memories from the clues her mother left behind.

A hand-drawn story

Studio Silver Lining had exquisite taste when it came to artistically designing this title, as we immerse ourselves in the pieces hand drawn that provide a sense of peace. Moving details in the scenarios that should not be missed with our lens and its calm narration blends perfectly with the images.

The game invites us to pay attention to small details as the voiceover of Dei’s mother describes or tells us about one of her many processes of photographing interesting things. All accompanied by a soundtrack of surprising quality that immerses us in her world in a gentle and peaceful way.

On a technical level, without taking into account its artistic design, it seems quite good with smooth performance and a sharp and very colorful image. In short, it is a beautiful game that encourages us to play, enjoy the landscapes, the details and capture any corner or situation worthy of being in our photo album.

Clever puzzles interrupted at the end

Knowing that one of the main mechanisms is the Photography and capture the moment, the other main asset of The Star Named EOS is to solve puzzles to decipher the messages from our mother. A good variety of riddles They will make this game a test of our intelligence.

There are different types of tests, from examining scribbles, dates and symbols to open a lock, to having to take out paper and a pen to write down research in order to find a solution. The difficulty until the first half of the game is very well measured, being a satisfying experience so far.

Other puzzles will be typical: turning gears to form a picture, moving boxes that match specific shapes, or placing objects to discover what they hide underneath. Sometimes the game doesn’t tell us anything at all about the steps to follow, or doesn’t allow you to restart the mechanisms to start over, so be patient.

A rhythm that destabilized me at the end and uncertain replayability

These puzzles are not that they gain in difficulty, but rather that they hide the way to interpret clues that have confused me a lot in the last puzzles. Sometimes I simply tried trial and error or removed the camera in case, by capturing a random image of the scene, we could continue the adventure.

The study slipped a bit in this, because the pace (not the difficulty) until half or 2/3 of the title was very well measured, although I do not consider this situation insurmountable. The other drawback, which although it is part of the proposal, it must be said, is that in the last part of the game I feel like they ran out of puzzle ideas and it took more than a few clicks.

However, the game’s short length makes it more enjoyable, but also leaves you feeling like the photography mechanics could have been used better. The pointer controls also make it difficult to progress with the controller, so I think a touchscreen or mouse would be the better option (on other systems, clearly).

Conclusions

The Star Named EOS is a title for those who love photography, puzzles, and serene storytelling. A beautiful and moving story of reunion, dealing with life’s blows, and evolving as a human being, accompanied by an evocative soundtrack and an art design that immediately captivates us.

Its short duration, between 1 and 3 hours depending on our ability to solve puzzles, makes it ideal for changing gears between so many frenetic video games, so give it a chance if you like these features. We can repeat chapters, ideal for achievement hunters, so the adventure can last a little longer than the aforementioned duration.

The Star Named EOS is available on Xbox Series X|S, Playstation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC at a discounted price on the digital store.

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