Papetura Review (eternalreturn)
Can prolly be completed in under 2 hours, but don't let that put you off. I can be especially "economical," let's call it, about games and price paid, but I'm in love that I can go back anytime and get lost in this wee world. There's loads more than 2 or 3 hours of visuals to take in/wonder.
I bought it during Summer 2022 sale for a discount and I'm completely thrilled with the game. The art is stunning, the story is endearing, the puzzles are fun and funny: I laughed out loud with the solutions for a couple.
This is all mouse/point'n'click, and as in the game description, there are no human languages involved.
Things I liked/loved:
1.) The artwork, a pure feast for the eyes.
2.) Solutions that reliably follow rules of classical physics without dishing out pain for fails (I enjoy permadeath as much as anyone, but it's also nice to get unqualified do-overs)
3.) Biological referents via an aesthetic... for which I have no words. I was not expecting physiology fun when I purchased this, and I was delighted.
4.) Tea pot. I love tea.
Things I'd change:
1.) The protagonist could be less grumpy over totie wee difficulties that arise.
2.) I have mixed feelings about the ending, as technically, it violates scientific facts we were relying upon, earlier: Do I have an ideal alternative ending? No. Definitely, I do not. And I was very happy with the final outcome despite "mixed feelings." My brain tells me: 'tis but a fairy tale, afterall, as the smile spreads across my face.
10/10 Will play again, just to look at the art, but also to engage with the various characters. Quite relaxing, with wee challenges that I found fun to solve.