Geek Kingdom
Everhood Review
Liam Lavoie
My name is Liam Lavoie, bringing you another issue of…
GEEK KINGDOM!
In this issue of Geek Kingdom, I’ll be reviewing the philosophical acid-trip known as… EVERHOOD
What Is Everhood?
Everhood is a bullet-hell rhythm RPG released on March 4th, 2021, made by the up and coming game studio Foreign Gnomes. This may be the best game of 2021, even trumping It Takes Two or Inscryption, and here’s why.
The Story
It’s practically impossible to explain the later part of Everhood without ruining the game, so I’ll stick to the first half. You are Red, a sentient doll (who is probably Geno’s brother), who falls from the sky into a mysterious forest (sound familiar?). Before beginning, a mysterious being asks if you wish to “abandon your humanity for immortality”. Refusing kicks you back to the start screen, so the only way to progress is to say “yes”.
However; before you wake up, a little blue guy steals your arm, and you have to get it back from the sinister Gold Pig, with the help of quirky characters like Nosteferachu, Muck and Flan, Green Mage and even Blue Thief (the little guy who stole your arm). In the end, there will be fake credits, major revelations and a daunting (and frankly heartbreaking) task ahead of you to save your friends. The story is spot on, hits every stop, and definitely drives the game. But, what about the gameplay?
The Gameplay
The gameplay of Everhood is quite engaging and stressful. Quick warning, if you are prone to seizures, this is NOT the game for you. There are lots of bright neon colors and flashing lights, so beware! The core gameplay revolves around “dance battles”, where the enemy sends projectiles at you, and you have to dodge, slide and jump-roll to survive the onslaught of brightly coloured blasts. Later, you can deflect and even catch attacks, allowing you to fight back, adding an extra layer of depth. However, some fights are absolutely brutal, forcing you to restart a lot, and if you want to go do something else, you’ll have to restart at your last save point, which can really suck, especially when save points become few and far between later on. There are also a TON of endings. Some are easier than others, while some require a guide, which can spoil other stuff and ruin some of the fun, but they may be necessary.
The Music
Heck yeah, the game has a ROCKING soundtrack! Every character you fight has a unique battle song, and 99% of the soundtrack is an absolute blast to listen to. Standouts include “Revenge” (Not THAT Revenge!), “Frogs are Friends” and “A Ride You Will Not Forget” which are some of my personal favorites. However, the soundtrack isn’t on Apple Music, and I don’t know about Spotify, so you will have to either use Youtube or buy the soundtrack off of Steam, which I highly recommend.
But there is one more thing to address…
Is It Undertale?
No! It isn’t! They do have a lot of similarities, such as a good soundtrack, bullet hell gameplay, quirky characters and multiple endings… Okay, fine, so it’s basically Undertale. Do I recommend it more than Undertale? No. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. Everhood has a better soundtrack, battle system and endings, but Undertale has a better overall story and more iconic moments. I don’t think Everhood will ever get the same attention as Undertale, but both games are of equally high quality.
The Final Verdict
Everhood is personally my favorite game of 2021. It beats out everything I have played, being unique, funny, shocking and genuinely FUN! It’s so unique and fresh, being a lot more than simply an Undertale clone, even with their many similarities. Other than a few nitpicks about battles, difficulty and use of a guide, this game is perfect!
9.5/10!
ALMOST PERFECTION!
I hope you enjoyed this month’s issue and come back to read next month’s issue of…
GEEK KINGDOM!
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