Ive finished it twice and Im still not sure I totally understand what it all means.
Kickstarted back in 2017, Phoenix Springs has been on quite a journey.
It looks totally different from the initial visuals presented on the campaigns page but for the better.
It stays true to its initial premise though.
You play as Iris, a reporter looking for her estranged brother.
Youll be sniffing out answers through classic point-and-click detective work.
Its a wonderful combination of old-school and new-wave.
This feels more like a stylistic choice from the developers, than accidental annoyances.
Sometimes, though, its difficult to distinguish between what feels like awkward missteps or purposeful design.
Its wonderful in this regard and certainly one of the most striking games of 2024.
Phoenix Springs feels like a contemporary detective game regardless of its point-and-click work.
To dance around spoilers, its about birth, rebirth, memories, technology, and ethics.
It also possesses a kind of mysticism.
Its weird, but everything is baked with meaning and open to interpretation.
Detective games always operate on a stream of logic and structure - but Phoenix Springs is different.
Its refreshing, if a little rough around the edges.
In this way, it feels like an island, entirely its own thing.
I dont completely understand the story - or at least IthinkI don’t - but thats the point.
