The Eternal Cylinder | PS4 Review

Narrated like a National Geographic wildlife special and one of Dr. Seuss's cartoons, ACETeam's "The Eternal Cylinder" captures perfectly the perpetuated cycle of humanity. Mirroring humanity's race against time to not only rediscover their history, and learn from it, but to also secure their future. Making sure the survival of their species is guaranteed. It's a human-like tale of sorts reflected through a more alien point of view. It is in this alien world, and through it's alien inhabitants that we discover a world destroying Eternal Cylinder, and a lesser species known as the Trebhum. The Trebhum, as low on the scale of evolution as they may seem, are efficient shapeshifters that utilize ingredients found in the world around them to fast track the evolution process while they gather as much ancestral knowledge as possible. Simultaneously trying to escape an ill fated extinction, and the steamrolling monstrosity that pursues them throughout their home planet aiming to end their lineage.

As a Trebhum you begin your birthed journey into your alien world on the run. Instinct borne of your ancestral past tells you to run, and so you do. All while a narrator speaks your story into existence in real time. Highlighting event after event as they happen. Giving pause once the Eternal Cylinder is stopped briefly by your passing through of key light towers. In the moments of pause you have to use your snout suction ability, and watering ability to gather plant life, and fauna for evolution sake. Gifting you shapeshifting transformations with abilities, and environmental adaptation. As luck would have it you're not alone in this task though, and finding the unhatched eggs of your fellow Trebhum will afford you survivability beyond yourself. By hatching the Trebhum hatchlings in nests you can name them, and in doing so they will tag along. Enabling the ability to switch between them, and help them evolve alongside you for puzzle solving sake.

Evolution in the Trebhum's world is done up in a sort of puzzle solving sense. Each evolution of each Trebhum opens up new opportunities for progression. Whether through environmental traversal, puzzle solving, or a means to newfound ingredients. While you go from chase segments to evolutionary pauses you will also need to maintain your water levels, and nutrients. Something that's universally shared through tag-along Trebhum newborns. These means for survival things also come from the flora, and fauna scattered about the alien terrain. Much like the rare abilities and mutations that come from other flora and fauna. As much as the sustenance can sustain your party of Trebhum death can come swiftly through more aggressive creatures that also inhabit the alien planet's ecosystem. Those predators also come in the form of followers of the Eternal Cylinder, and must be dealt with carefully or avoided at all costs. Supposing fate comes calling, and any of your Trebhum succumb to an early demise you can resurrect them so long as you've collected a certain crystal rock dust. Something that fills up a brain or memory meter. Upon revival you'll also be able to pick up whatever ingredients that fallen Trebhum might have had. Supposing all Trebhum die though it is GAME OVER, and your only saving grace will be if you had saved progress before that fateful last death.

Progression, as fast or as slow as it may be, comes with a constantly updated and voiced narration. That and a tutorial that explains the various mechanics you'll be using. Most of what you'll be doing involves evolving, finding new Trebhum hatchlings, managing limited storage/resources, and solving puzzles. All between the pursuit phases, and evolutionary endeavors. There are even temples, and places the Trebhum's ancestors left behind which will further your understanding of the Trebhum's story and plight. In the game's OPTIONS menu you'll even be privileged to a detailed breakdown of all the flora you've collected within the confines of a Compendium menu. You'll gain access to Trebhum inventory management as well. That and a map with key points of interest marked along the way for an added sense of direction. Save, and load options included, additionally. It should be noted that in the game's initial settings menu that you can tweak options that pertain to gameplay elements. Allowing you to make the journey from beginning to end as easy or as difficult as you desire. All at the pressing of on/off toggles.

The Verdict ...

Visually, narratively, and soundly 'The Eternal Cylinder' gifts the player an experience unlike any other. It's a beautiful game that stays true to the development studios' usually creative design. ACETeam is one that has done different more differently than most indie developers. It is in this imaginative, and creative design that the worlds they invite the gamer to truly shine, and stand out. This game being no different. While I was lost at first things began to make sense, and once they made sense I was able to better partake of the storytelling, and genius of the puzzles. The puzzles themselves are so varied nothing seems routine, and like discovering a new world it livens up every new experience. There's not really a dull moment to be had here, and as pursuing as the game's antagonist might be you are given ample time to take in everything that you see in the pauses between. I think, in all honesty, this game will be overlooked by a lot of people. It's very niche, but if you like niche done right, and fancy something magical 'The Eternal Cylinder' might just be the game for you. It gets my approval! ACETeam did a helluva job!!!