Earthshine - Review

Earthshine is an independent game developed by Elleiv, which saw the light of day on Steam on December 9, 2019. A PlayStation version of the game recently appeared on September 21, 2023, opening up new perspectives for players. It's this version that we're going to explore through our in-depth review.

Earthshine is a visual novel in which you follow the tale of two travelers in an arid desert. As Talia embarks on her quest, accompanied by Inar, a fellow traveler she meets along the way, they unlock the secrets of a world where beautiful flowers possess healing powers, challenging the idea that it could all be just a fairy tale.

Please note that Earthshine is a short visual story, taking around 1 or 2 hours to complete. Unfortunately, the entire game is in English and the dialogues are in Russian only. The lack of voice translation detracts from the immersion of this type of game. A longer lifespan would have made it possible to explore this universe more fully and delve deeper into the story.

Overall, the game's graphics are good for this type of game. The scenery has depth of field, vivid colors and meticulous detail, reflecting a mysterious atmosphere. The most negative aspect of the ergonomics is the text zone and text color. Inar will have a blue text color on a blue background, which makes the whole thing less legible.

The game's soundtrack matches the mood of the universe and reinforces the atmosphere. A little work on track transitions would have been appreciated to avoid a rather direct ending. What's more, by default, the voice sound level is much lower than the background music.