It is somewhat difficult for me to write a review on Shifting Tides’ The Sojourn because I somewhat forgot what had happened only moments after completing each level. Don’t get me wrong, The Sojourn is a beautiful game filled with saturated colors and wonderful landscapes, it just doesn’t have much replay value or longevity in the gaming world.
The premise of The Sojourn is that the player is thrust into different environments to solve a series of puzzles while following an unspoken narrative told through sculptures following various important stages of life. One thing that I really appreciated about The Sojourn was that the game certainly did not hold the player’s hand throughout the challenges. Once a new puzzle piece such as swapping places with totems, bridge-building harps that the player can activate, or duplicating chambers for totems, the game would explain what the new object does and nothing more. That’s it. No hints, no option to skip the level, nothing. I found this to be a fresh alternative to many puzzle games by truly challenging the player to think critically and test out different strategies on the level before being able to proceed. Since some of the levels are rather (painfully at some points) difficult, this can add a lot of time and frustration to the overall experience for players who are not as patient for or accustomed to such games.
I believe that The Sojourn was actually pretty close to achieving success as a puzzle-game title, but fell into the same pit as Solo or other mediocre puzzle-games… the lack of a compelling narrative. I feel as if every puzzle game since 2007 has tried to emulate the success and structure of Portal due to the game’s legendary reputation, but few have succeeded in even approaching the quality of the Valve Corporation classic. The relaxing score, serene colors, and beautiful scenery of The Sojourn were all wonderful, but I found Shifting Tides’ narrative to be somewhat lacking. The silent story told through statues was obviously intended to be perceived as abstract or “deep” and instead just seemed like a lazy desperation move brought on by a lack of viable voice actors.
My goal in this review is not to discourage players from trying out The Sojourn as it really is one of the better puzzle games I’ve seen in recent times, however, I also think that one should take a holistic view in reviewing video games instead of comparing games within their genre (especially a genre as weak as puzzle games), resulting in a product that was within reach of greatness, but sadly fell short. The difficulty of the puzzles, the color-rich atmosphere, and melancholic tone are all positives of this game, I just can’t seem to bring myself past the relatively bland and forgettable narrative that falls short of its objective to be thought-provoking and unique. Overall, I would say that this game would play much better as an app than an Xbox game, because it did not manage to pique my interest beyond being a fun time-waster while I wait in line at a doctor’s office.
Score: 6/10
Check Out The Sojourn Trailer:
For more information, please visit here: https://www.thesojourngame.com/
Xbox One Review
I've been playing video games since I got a Playstation 2 when I was about 5 or 6 years old. The original Star Wars: Battlefront series and the Spyro series initially ignited my interest in gaming, but it wasn't until I got older that I truly appreciated the subtle details that make video games such a unique form of entertainment. My favorite type of video game would have to be any lengthy and plot-driven open world game, with my favorite games of all time being Batman: Arkham City, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Assassin's Creed: Revelations, and Firewatch.
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