UNVEILING MYSTERIES VIBRANT: DIVE INTO "PHOENIX SPRINGS" - A NEO-NOIR PUZZLE AWAITS

At the intersection of innovation and craftsmanship, very few gaming experiences succeed in being bizarre and elusive, gritty and gorgeous all at once – let alone, in point-and-click detective adventures. And yet, nearly every neo-noir game worth noting for its visual artistry – be it supernatural or hardboiled in tone – has been inspired in one way or another by one revolutionary title: Phoenix Springs. Releasing on Steam on 16 September, this game is a mystery all its own, and boy, does it deliver. Here we take stock of the creative triumphs of point-and-click detective adventures.

A VIBRANT TALE OF MYSTERY AND SEARCH

The beating heart of Phoenix Springs is Iris Dormer, a hard-hitting gumshoe in the middle of tracking down her missing brother, Leo. Iris’s journey takes her to a closed-off rainforest community surrounded by desert, and this surreal-seeming setting paves the way for some intriguing ecological themes. Large, bold text is interjected throughout play, offering up new narrative notes as images cycle on the player’s screen. It’s a beautiful setup for storytelling with the abstract, but it’s a shame that the UI wears thin. Players must often enter items into Iris’s mental inventory, and the list quickly grows both cluttered and indiscernible. The game is a trained curiosity, in control of the story; all we have to do is follow along.

THE AESTHETIC: NEO-NOIR MEETS MID-CENTURY SCIENCE FICTION

Aesthetically speaking, it’s a game in a category all by itself: 2D and 3D animations work in tandem to create hand-drawn scenes that stretch and shrink, cast shadows, and trap the eye in muted greens and glowing splashes of yellow and red. As such, Phoenix Springs is far more than a game that pays homage to mid-century sci-fi – it is arguably the prettiest detective game in existence. Pulling players into the game’s mystery, its bright visual choices do more than just look good – they stand very much as art.

A VIBRANT JOURNEY THROUGH INNOVATION AND ART

Phoenix Springs is the creation of London-based art collective – essentially, a four-person team – called Calligram Studio. Funding was sourced through a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2017, and Calligram Studio has put its colourful vision into action, conceiving an original game that certainly qualifies as an art house title, a creation unafraid to develop fresh ways of storytelling backed up by tough puzzles and beautifully designed visuals. The game has racked up a respectable collection of wins and nominations.

UNRAVELING THE PUZZLE: GAMEPLAY THAT CHALLENGES AND ENGAGES

Sharp visuals and a compelling narrative aren’t the only things that make ‘Phoenix Springs’ stand out in any gamer’s collection — it’s the challenge. No physical inventory to maintain. No on-hand items to activate. But instead mental notes to share. This revolutionary take on the expected 3D point-and-click adventure guarantees that every player’s experience with Phoenix Springs will be unique and as colourful as it is beautiful. A pairing of challenging puzzle mechanics with the art deco neo-noir scenery is sure to keep players’ minds and fingers busy for hours.

ANTICIPATION BUILDS: THE VIBRANT COUNTDOWN TO RELEASE

In anticipation of its release date of 16 September, the excitement for Phoenix Springs is exploding like a red cactus flower in the desert. The first puzzle adventure game of its kind to combine mystery, art and puzzle solving, Phoenix Springs will prove to be a must-have game of the year. It’s for anyone who enjoys the classic detective tale, neo-noir aesthetics and/or puzzle games.

EXPLORING THE ESSENCE OF VIBRANT

From its dazzling art to its engaging gameplay and its rich storyline, vibrant is the adjective that best describes Phoenix Springs. After all, vibrant generally describes something that is lively, full of energy, and teeming with life. That, in a nutshell, is what Phoenix Springs brings to the adventure gaming table. It is a paradigm-shifting take on the point-and-click genre, marrying innovative storytelling, puzzle-solving and art direction. Phoenix Springs is a vibrant adventure that engages the senses, razors the intellect, and warms the heart.

After all, Phoenix Springs is not a game – it is an artistic experience that masquerades as a puzzle, waiting for a sympathetic audience to unwrap. Its luminous presentation, empirical gameplay and touching narrative represent a new direction for games, and a way for digital media to shed its more vulgar elements and evolve into something more than a form of play. As we edge closer to the release date, gamers world over wait with bated breath, poised to peel back the layered puzzles and uncover the truth. Phoenix Springs: is your oasis calling?