Phoenix Springs Preview: Surprising Point And Click Immersion

The point and click adventure game is one of the great success stories of the indie gaming scene. A genre of gameplay that had a spectacular rise and fall, and was once thought of by the gaming industry as outdated and overly-restrictive, independent developers have given it a new lease of life in the last two decades thanks to a variety of interesting stories that differ wildly in terms of theme and tone. Enter , from Calligram Studio, which looks to add another strong offering to fans of the genre.

follows a reporter called Iris Dormer, who is looking to find and reconnect with an estranged brother. This journey through a mysterious game world will lead her to the town of Phoenix Springs, although a recent preview build of the game showcases the point and click game up to the point where Iris reaches the titular setting. As it stands, though, there's a promising adventure to explore and story to unravel.

Before the player has even had a chance to take control of the game, looks to make an impression through its visuals. The game's aesthetic is absolutely fantastic, with a comic book style made up of beautiful hand-drawn locations and characters. It's like stepping into a trade paperback, shifting from location to location with Dormer, each place acting as its own mini-issue.

The initial parts of the story are clearly moody and mysterious in nature, although it remains to be seen whether the wider game then takes on a more vibrant palette. As it stands, though, the preview of the title is heavy on dark greens and blacks, while a rustling, shifting background effect adds movement and atmosphere to the game world. It all helps build the overall tone of the environments, especially the sense of urban decay.

Players should make note of the different options of interaction that Iris has available, both for puzzle solving but also to get tasters of information about the game world itself.

That said, the limited color palette also helps with the moment-to-moment