[Review] Everhood - Nintendo Switch

Developed By: Foreign Gnomes (Chris Nordgren and Jordi Roca)
Published By: Surefire.Games
Categories: RPG, Rhythm
Release Date: 03.04.21

Everhood is a game that’s a big hard to describe. It’s like an RPG, but there’s no experience. Fights aren’t random. To top it all off, it’s almost all rhythm games. The story is something I’d prefer to not really explain too much, but lets just say you’re a puppet trying to get your arm back after it was stolen. This game is more of an experience and I want people to experience it without spoilers.

That isn’t to say Everhood is a music game. It’s more that every fight is as if you play on a guitar. Fights are for the most part not really fights, but an effort to survive while the notes come at you. Jump, sidestep, and even the occasional deflect. It’s simple, but on the default difficulty can be challenging. With this, you’d hope the music is good, right? Right. The music is fantastic. Mixed with the visuals, it’s almost as if you get put into a trance and you blend with the game, getting into a groove.

Some fights can get a tad long, so thankfully those ones have checkpoints. And even when you fail before them, you can retry as many times as needed. On top of that, if the game is just too hard, you can lower the difficulty.

The variety in the short journey is nothing to scoff at. It might be a bit more appropriate to call fights action scenes as it’s a bit of a format they take, even in non combat situations. A kart racer, sure. How about pressing buttons to get through a tunnel on a train track? A dance off to get into the VIP area? Or just play videogames with someone. Characters are also the wild bunch, with my favorite and the one I’ll spoil being a vampire who constantly changes his name. You’ll see these guys everywhere you go, so I’m glad that they’re so offbeat and their dialog is funny.

The visuals are a what I can only describe as charming 8bit in the overworld and an onslaught of effects in the action sequences. It’s trippy, it’s colorful, it’s loud. With options to lighten these, for the love of god, if you have epilepsy or are apt to get migraines from the visuals, PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THESE OPTIONS. There are certain moments in the game where it just goes absolutely hog wild with the visual effects and it’s a marvel to look at. It was mesmerizing and I can say for sure it had my full attention at all times.

I’ve seen comparisons to Undertale with Everhood, but I feel like that’s cheap and a frankly lazy comparison. Undertale, as good as it is, is not the first independently made, non traditional RPG to be made. Such comparisons almost seem like lousy clickbait attempts. Instead, go into Everhood with a clear mind, no preconceptions. Buckle up for a ride, one that if you’re anything like me, will stick with you.