Love Eternal was my game of the show at PAX West, and it wasn’t close

Love Eternal was my game of the show at PAX West, and it wasn't close

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I can confidently say that Love Eternal has left an indelible mark on me. This game is not just another title to add to my collection; it’s an experience that transcends the usual gaming norms and delves deep into the realms of psychological horror, ethereal beauty, and intricate platforming.


Whenever I encounter Ysbryd at a trade fair, I always prioritize them among my initial or final visits. When visiting Ysbryd, I am assured of experiencing something exceptional. This year, my visit occurred towards the end. The last game I tried out at their booth was Love Eternal. To be honest, I had no prior knowledge about Love Eternal before sitting down to play it, and that’s exactly how I suggest others approach it. As I mentioned earlier, it was my favorite game of the fair. If possible, play it without any foreknowledge. Avoid reading its Steam page entirely. Just add it to your wishlist and move on. It reveals too much.

Are you still around? Well then, let me get started on this. So, in “The Love Eternal” demo, we find ourselves with a young lady named Maya who’s summoned for dinner with her family. As they begin to eat, the telephone rings. You escort Maya to retrieve it, and upon doing so, discover that her family has vanished and the front door stands wide open. Stepping outside, you find the house reduced to nothing more than a charred ruin. With no other choice, we must move forward.

Love Eternal was my game of the show at PAX West, and it wasn't close

Love Eternal’s setup is immediately intriguing, but what really grabbed my attention was sound design, whether it was the echo of Maya’s footfalls or the lovely and haunting score. Every sound in Love Eternal carries a sense of purpose, a feeling that adds to the overall ambiance. The same is true of the absolutely stunning, beautifully animated pixel art. Love Eternal feels surreal, ethereal. Like Maya, you are moving through a place that should not be, but is. The journey alone would be compelling enough, but that’s not all Love Eternal has to offer. There’s a good game here, too.

As I delve into this game, I find the controls straightforward: Maya can sprint and leap, but she’s not your average gamer girl. She’s got a unique trick up her sleeve – the ability to manipulate gravity! This isn’t just about avoiding pits by walking on ceilings; it’s about mastering the art of creative platforming that requires perfect timing to trigger the gravity shift at just the right moment.

Love Eternal was my game of the show at PAX West, and it wasn't close

From a fan’s perspective, I’d describe this as a chilling psychological horror game, where the opening serves more as a hint than an introduction. The initial scene was downright eerie, peculiar, and intense, leaving me with far more questions than answers. My demo didn’t provide any explanations, but I found myself reluctant to receive them just yet. Instead, I embraced the enigma, the atmosphere, and the gameplay mechanics, which were more than enough to draw me in and leave me eager for more.

After setting down my controller, I found myself with two intriguing questions for Toby Alden, one of the developers at brlka, the creators of the game: “What’s the secret behind this?” and “Audacity personified, isn’t it?” The first question was genuine curiosity, as Love Eternal is the culmination of roughly seven years of dedication from brlka, and the attention to detail is evident in every moment. I can’t help but feel a bit frustrated that I can’t consume the entirety of it immediately. However, if waiting a bit longer means getting more of something this exceptional, then I’m willing to be patient. As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait, and often we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s right in front of us. Coincidentally, or perhaps serendipitously, I saved the best for last.

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2024-09-16 19:57