The Indie Informer

“Have you ever looked forward to opening your eyes?”

The Star Named EOS‘ opening question highlights one of the game’s greatest strengths: Its visuals. I open my virtual eyes in this first scene to find an impressionistic riot of pastel. A soaring mountain is silhouetted against a moon covered with energetic, Van Gough-esque lines.

Green and purple brushstroke leaves float on the wind as piano notes ring out over a chorus of crickets. I turn to see a woman holding my child-sized hand, pointing at the stars.

But it’s a dream.

Waking, I realize I’m in a darkened, but homey, bedroom. Clicking around the chamber’s various stacks of books, furniture, and sentimental knick-knacks, a series of puzzles present themselves.

Each blends into the next as I unravel them. A locked container sitting atop a cabinet has a pattern I’ve seen in a nearby book, but one crucial page is missing. I can only find this vital scrap of paper by exploring memories in a bookcase — which is sealed shut until I figure out how to align three stars in a box.

Every puzzle solved takes me one step closer to recreating a picture sent to me by my mom, helping me follow in her footsteps and uncover the mystery of her disappearance.

Story, gameplay, and vibe all hit hard in my 30-minute, hands-on preview. The game’s recent announcement doesn’t hint at a release date, and the Steam page only says “coming soon.” However, I’ve been assured it’s expected this year, which is great because I’m keen to dive further into The Star Named EOS.