I almost quit Phoenix Springs. I grew tired of the long, unskippable animations, especially walking, and some more obscure puzzles, but I also found it difficult to maintain my curiosity in a story that lacks structure (as it often is the case in surreal art), or in the very dry, one-note presentation, with sprinkled-in exhaustively flashing animations, and general bafflement.

I’m glad I kept playing. The combination of the visuals (just LOOK at these screenshots), the writing, the SPECTACULAR one-person voice acting with the narration style it introduced, and the soundscapes that made me think about 1985 Angel’s Egg, kept pulling me in. And also the fact I found a full playthrough on YouTube and it allowed me to find solutions for 4-5 puzzles I just couldn’t get my way through.

I’ve resonated with the parts of the game, including the ending, very strongly. It made me feel like my emotions and worries are seen by others. And that’s a moment of connection only great art, or great friendships, can give me. And while I don’t think Phoenix Springs is a game I would blindly recommend to others - it takes a special kind of person to stick to the end throughout its ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ - I believe strongly that it’s a great work. And if you try to get outside of the established boundaries, you’re destined to make decisions that some folks will love, some hate, some won’t care about.

I hated small chunks of the game, and loved much, much more of it than I expected.

With a look this stunning I'm not sure how this managed to fly under the radar. I love the unique point and click-ish mechanics, but even more love the story and presentation. Something just feels wrong from moment one, and it is never relieved. It's a mystery game in that it is mysterious, not in that you will cleanly solve the scenario and be finished. That kind of deconstruction is really hard to achieve, and here it's done deftly.