As always, before reading our post, please scroll down to read the game summary from the PAX Online official game listing, especially if you’re unfamiliar with this title. Then come on back here and let’s chat!
YesterMorrow is a 2D platformer (single player) from Bitmap Galaxy—a very small Slovakian studio—and published by Blowfish Studios. The demo available on Steam for PAX Online is about 30 minutes long, and does its best to introduce players to the characters, the premise, and the general gameplay.
From the get-go, it looks great. The design and the soundscape are well put together, with plenty of detail that doesn’t become overwhelming in 2D. The color palette is bright and charming, which makes the sudden shift into dark and neutral colors all the more powerful after the world is “plunged into endless night.” The best way I can describe it is “friendly and approachable,” as far as 2D platformers go, and I’d extend that description into the rest of the game’s presentation as well.
I say that because, unlike most platformers, there was no combat in this demo. There were obstacles and puzzles (sort of) to solve, but nothing really in the way of violent encounters. The description of the game mentions there will be bosses to defeat, so presumably there will be some kind of combat later… but if the demo was representative of the experience overall, I’d suspect we’ll see a more passive or “MacGyver”-esque roundabout approach to defeating enemies.
The platforming itself was fairly standard, with a few cool moments of the unexpected—being able to climb up a spider’s drop-down webbing, for example—and hinted of more complexity to come. Otherwise, you’re navigating past enemies, weaving through environmental hazards, and wall-jumping your way through the areas. Things you’ve probably done before.
And did we mention you can pet the dogs and cats you meet along the way? You can. And they have little heart animations to show they’ve appreciated your attention. There’s no benefit to doing this other than warming your heart in real-time, but it was an appreciated and neat little touch.
The thing is, YesterMorrow’s demo didn’t really bring anything particularly new to the table—but it didn’t feel lacking either. The missing combat seemed very intentional, so one would assume there’s going to be more to this angle in the full game. The time-traveling mechanic wasn’t new either and we didn’t get to experience it extensively in the demo to really understand how it fits into the overarching resolution of the story. But frankly, there’s something to be said for having a platformer that’s “friendly and approachable.” I don’t always want to struggle for a half hour on one section of a level, or be racking my brain for 45 minutes on how to proceed. It was playable without being boring, visually appealing without being overstimulating, and interesting enough to play in a short burst (say, for a 30 minute demo) without feeling like I need to dedicate the next three days of my life to beating it.
It was a very pleasant demo experience, and I’m intrigued to see the full product once it releases on—just announced!!!—November 5th.
PAX Online Listing Information:
- Available on Microsoft Windows / Nintendo Switch / PlayStation 4 / Xbox One
- Genre Action & Adventure / Platform / Puzzle
- Release date Coming Soon
YesterMorrow is a single-player time travelling 2D platformer, mixing action sequences with puzzle elements, all wrapped up in an engaging story about our young hero, Yui, who must save her family and to change the fate of a world that has been plunged into endless night. This can only be done by journeying into the past and repairing the mysterious Clocktower controlling the cycle of time.
Her world – destroyed. Her family – kidnapped. Join our heroine Yui in a desperate attempt to save everything she loved. Learn how to use Everlight, embark on a journey through four islands (Forest, Desert, Ice and Clockwork island) and use time travel to overcome obstacles and access hidden locations. Free your family from the clutches of Shadows! Find out what really happened to the Sun and whether it can be reversed.
– Learn how to wield Everlight, unlock six special abilities and use them to cleanse your world from Shadows.
– Explore a vast world of YesterMorrow spanning four different islands (Forest, Desert, Ice, Clockwork).
– Encounter dozens of creatures and defeat challenging bosses.
– Use the environment to your advantage and solve puzzles in different ways.
– Traverse the world in two different timelines. Enjoy the serene calmness of the past and battle your way through the corrupted world of the future.
– Discover the rich lore as you interact with the world and its inhabitants. And don’t forget to pet all animals!
– Locate hidden areas and collect power-ups and lore entries.
