My journey with Phoenix Springs has been a long one. I participated in their Kickstarter campaign in 2017 and time passed... Now, a number of years later, I am happy to report that the game was worth the wait.

The story is deceptively simple... you control a character named Iris who is searching for her brother Leo. In terms of format, it is a point-and-click interface with an inventory of phrases that are gathered as clues. You can use the clues with objects or people to get additional clues and move the story forward. The game is divided into 3 major sections. Although the story bridges all three, you start with a new round of clue gathering each time.

There is an auto-save on exit to a single game slot. Unless you are willing to manipulate save files, there is no mechanism for going backwards to a prior section. The core story can be completed in a few hours but I would encourage you to take your time. The real joy of Phoenix Springs is exploration and stumbling upon the unexpected.

The artwork is quite unique; the soundtrack is original; and I loved the voice of the female narrator. There are layers upon layers to discover as you interact with (Talk To, Look At, Use) the environment and the characters you encounter. Iris has an interesting view of the world and it was delightful to travel with her and listen to her stream of consciousness. The ending was, in a word, surprising. I may have to replay this segment in order to fully absorb it.

Phoenix Springs is slow-paced with a lot of words to process. Not to worry... the writers did a great job of avoiding inane conversations and sloppy vocabulary. The writing is crisp, to the point, and shows a level of intellect that I appreciate. Kudos to Calligram Games for the love and creative energy they expended to make this game possible.

Completionists will either love or hate Phoenix Springs. It has 78 achievements which are explicitly defined as interactions between two named objects (a clue and an item or person). Sounds easy? For some of them, yes. For others, real thinking is required to figure out how to find the scenario that will make the achievement-related clue accessible. I am one of those gamers who can't leave an achievement on the table. So, I printed the list of 78 achievements (alphabetized, of course!) and began checking them off as I played. I got a little over half on my first time through. Along the way, I saw where clues became available and where some disappeared. My first play through taught me which actions had consequences and which should be delayed until I was ready to move to the next segment. Calligram's approach to achievements is brilliant and my 100% goal made the game infinitely more fun and challenging.

While the early scenes are easy to navigate, the Oasis was a bit confusing and I struggled to get my bearings. No matter how many primitive maps I drew, I still ended up in unexpected locations. Luckily, the Oasis is not too big so circling about was not a hardship. You will also spend some time watching Iris cross a screen. The double-click allows you to run in outside scenes and this was a nice feature.

I think Phoenix Springs will ultimately be a niche game... one that will appeal to gamers who appreciate the art, creativity, and complex thinking that this game represents. Those with little patience or who play fast and furiously are not apt to enjoy it. For me, it is one of those games that will stick with me for some time. If games like Beckett and Genesis Noir are up your alley, then you should relish the Phoenix Springs experience. Or, if you are tired of racing around and want to stop and smell the virtual flowers and fruit trees, you should give it a try.

I truly enjoyed this game and highly recommend it.

The puzzles aren't logic-based so the game ends up being largely trial-and-error.

I had been waiting to play Phoenix Springs for a long time, and I wasn't disappointed.

I love how the game foregoes a traditional inventory system to focus on topics instead, which makes all the sense considering Iris is a journalist. The premise of using said topics (or thoughts) to gather more information or unlocking new topics and realizations is also very fresh, just like the game's superb visuals.

I especially liked Iris's dry narration. As the game progresses, the droning of her voice becomes a companion to the story as much as the character of Iris herself. That the dialogue from other characters is also filtered through her point of view, as we never hear another voice during the entire game, is a stroke of genius. I also like that Iris's dry delivery prevents the game from getting too verbose, a fault I find to be too common in too many games these days.

The story gives the player ample room for consideration and interpretation. I'm not sure I got all of it myself, but I greatly appreciate that the game respect's the player's intelligence, trusting that the player will engage not only with the text, but with the environments and every other aspect of the work.

In short, I'd say we need more games like this, and I'm glad Phoenix Springs exists. I'll be thinking about it for a good time.