Conflict in video games is usually a mainstay. Sure, there are titles like Tchia that are mostly non-violent, but I’d never heard of a game being described as “chill vibes” before. That is until I got a chance to preview Everdeep Aurora at PAX West 2023, one of the most stress-free platformers I have ever experienced.
Digging a Hole to Find My Mom
The plot of Everdeep Aurora is pretty straightforward. An apocalyptic meteor shower has forced the world’s population to dig underground. You control Shell, a feline child who awakens to find her mother missing. She must drill through the earth to find her mom, all while meeting a cast of interesting characters along the way.
Right off the bat, Everdeep Aurora catches the eye with its graphics. The title contains three layers of the underground, each with its own distinct visuals. It reminds me of Gato Roboto mixed with a Game Boy Color game. Every character is animated wonderfully, as well, with a mesmerizing flow to it all.
Shell has a variety of abilities to help her traverse the underground. You can climb walls, jump, and use a drill to break blocks. Each one takes three drill pumps to break through, and you must be careful, as it does not have an unlimited charge. Fortunately, you can blow a whistle to teleport back to the surface if you get stuck, and there are recharge stations littered about. I did find it weird that Shell lightly stabs rocks with a button press instead of just having the player hold the button down to drill until the blocks break. This is something my demo handler noted, so maybe it will be incorporated into the full release.
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I Help You, You Help Me, All Stress-Free
One of the things I was struck by with Everdeep Aurora was the sheer amount of items you can gather. Since there is no combat or violence, the game’s denizens and their issues take center stage. Their problems become intertwined with your journey, as one inhabitant will usually have something another one wants. It reminded me of those trading sequences from The Legend of Zelda series, only magnified. Hearing of each dweller’s plight also brought me closer to them. What can I say, I am a sucker for helping those in need.
There are multiple factors present in Everdeep Aurora that contribute to its “chill vibes” moniker. Its music, done by a German composer, is quite relaxing. Recharge stations for the drill, at least early on, seem plentiful, and you can always return to the surface if it runs out. The game is displayed in a square with a map on one side and your drill power and items shown on the other at all times; no need to pause and check your inventory, breaking the flow of gameplay. There is a roughly six-hour playtime, perfect for an adventure that does not want to wear out its welcome. It is single-player only, so there will never be any fights with a loved one who explored at a different pace than you. Even the special rooms that pop up dedicated to platforming puzzles are optional.
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Just Relax and Have Fun
Everdeep Aurora is the type of game we should see more often. Just two Spanish developers got together to make a stress-free title for gamers in a stress-filled world. They wanted something atmospheric with a simple story that was not overly complex. Time will tell if players will flock to this type of style. The game is planned to launch on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam during Q1 or Q2 of 2024.
