The Star Named EOS Review: Capturing Emotional Moments Through Puzzles and Photography

Introduction

We might take pictures for granted, but they capture a moment in time that we can return to whenever we want. It’s with that idea in mind that is the foundation of The Star Named EOS, the newest game from developer Silver Lining Studio. Following the release of their puzzle adventure Behind the Frame, The Star Named EOS explores a new medium in the creative space: photography. Further, while this can still be considered a puzzle adventure, the Escape Room-esque puzzle design that ties in with the imaginative narrative delivers a comfortable playing experience.

A Nostalgic Narrative

The Star Named EOS opens with an introduction to a photographer named Dei. He seems to be in an overly nostalgic mood as he explores his room in search of objects that remind him of his mother. We learn early on that Dei’s mother was once a significant part of his life but has since been absent. A photo that he finds sends him on a quest to find some answers that piece together his memories and truths about his mother. It’s here that Dei picks up a picture and attempts to recreate the scene using objects around him. Once the scene is set, players make their way to a new area and dive deeper into the memories of this emotional young man.

With a narrative that is wrapped up within an hour or two, I believe this is a game meant to be completed in one sitting. To accomplish this, there’s some decent pacing in the writing that doesn’t exhaust the player with overly imaginative imagery or lengthy lore dumps. The narrative understands its length and does a great job of keeping focus while also having fun with interactive bits in the environments and collectibles that are hidden in the scenes. Now, whether it will resonate with you or not is a question, as the game contains a few notable twists that are rather specific. Regardless, I ended up enjoying my time inside Dei’s mind for an evening. However, I would say that if you’re a player who finds themselves yearning for realism and shared struggles, you likely won’t find that here as the story stays pretty focused on these surface-level issues.

Gameplay Mechanics

Outside of the narrative, The Star Named EOS is a puzzle adventure. To recreate scenes, players must solve puzzles and collect items in a point-and-click escape room extravaganza. While Behind the Frame had some fairly straightforward puzzles, The Star Named EOS has a decent level of challenge in its puzzle design. I was able to brute force a couple of puzzles, but more often than not, they caused me to pause before figuring out the requirements. There’s not too much direction while playing. However, Dei will sometimes say things that can be considered a hint.

Visuals and Audio

Considering all the scenes are hand-drawn, sometimes interactable objects are hard to spot. I wouldn’t say the game requires any pixel hunting on the scenes, but I found myself moving the cursors across every 360-degree scene to make sure I didn’t miss anything. To combat any puzzle-solving frustrations, the soundtrack is an absolute joy throughout every minute of gameplay. It pairs so well with the scenes and delivers a nice sense of ambiance while exploring them and uncovering the story.

Conclusion

The Star Named EOS is a well-paced adventure that touches on some emotional themes without being overly imaginative, which keeps the fantastical experience grounded and creative. It’s an exploration of memories through photography, with the help of some gorgeous hand-drawn environments. While the puzzles can be a little ambitious and frustrating, I think they pair well with the short runtime because, trust me, this is a game world that I didn’t mind hanging out in, thanks mostly to the brilliant soundtrack.