Stumbling through this wild west of online game stores, I couldn’t help but trip over yet another platformer. No complaints, though. But how does anyone make something that’s more than just another blip like Shovel Knight or Celeste? Being different. Yeah, seriously. That’s about where my mind went after I messed around with Love Eternal at PAX East 2025. PAX East, by the way, was—let’s just say, sensory overload city.
Love Eternal, now this thing’s a whole trip. Born out of love (pun fully intended) by two siblings who upended their lives from Oregon to LA. Wildfires were part of their story—no kidding, it left a mark on them and the game. Oh, and if you’re an anime geek, prepare for a whiff of Perfect Blue vibes because, whoa, it smacked me right in the narrative.
You start as Maya. Easy peasy, right? Until, bam, you pick up that phone and poof—your family’s MIA. Just like that. Plus, the world outside? Totally alien. Everything’s crumbled and like, ancient ruins. And it feels, I don’t know, like you’re walking through a memory that’s not yours. But I digress.
Anyway—oh wait, before I forget—the platforming. Let’s talk gravity shenanigans. Maya, bless her heart, turns the world topsy-turvy, literally. Walking on ceilings like it’s no biggie. Only catch, you gotta land first before doing it again. Need an extra flip? Grab those red stones mid-jump. Sounds like chaos? It is. As you can probably guess—it’s not your grandmother’s Sunday stroll sort of game. The difficulty’s got this mean curve upwards. Thankfully, there are always these handy save points. Classic indie design, like Celeste or VVVVVV nods—just more twisty.
Now, what do the devs want? Brace yourself, because you’re diving headfirst into puzzles that flex your noggin while a wild tale unfolds. “Escape a castle built of bitter memories,” they say. Plus, maybe get spooked by some god with a god complex. Four hours. That’s what they promise—short but leaves a mark, like, unexpected bear hug kinda way. It’ll hit Xbox One, Switch, PS4/5, and PC before we know it. And, honestly? Can’t wait to get traumatized.
