“Woodland sprites, elves and nymphs, waltz in time take a glimpse, fairies hide the forest wit, mushrooms fly, agarics hit” – William O’Brien
Overview
Smushi Come Home is a delightful platforming adventure starring Smushi, a lost little mushroom trying to find his way home. Players can explore, meet friendly characters, and complete different tasks and challenges in a bid to get home to Smushi’s siblings!
Developer: Some Humble Onion
Released: 10th June 2023
Price: £16.99
This game is being reviewed as part of the Indie Game Collective (IGC) showcase.
Gameplay
Smushi Come Home is primarily an adventure game with heavy platforming elements that come in the form of free exploration through each area as well as challenges and tasks. The abilities to glide and climb make movement an enjoyable process and even the more challenging platforming sections are highly satisfying and stress-free to manoeuvre around! It is also possible to earn and buy upgrades for different skills allowing the player to glide further, run faster, and climb higher!
There are plenty of other facets to the gameplay such as the various tasks Smushi can do for the inhabitants of each area, such as repairing a set of flower shrines, searching for ancient relics, or finding a mycologist a pencil. The latter of which awards a mycology journal that allows the player to discover different mushrooms and learn about them with detailed information and illustrations. There are also green and purple crystals to collect, the green can be used to buy upgrades and objects whereas the purple ones are used to craft the various mushroom skins that can be found and won as Smushi explores. For added fun, and for the completionists, there are also 22 achievements in the game, these can be viewed from the main menu.
Narrative
The game begins with little Smushi on a small island helping his siblings when a bird suddenly swoops in and carries Smushi away! The story centres on his adventures as he tries to return home to his brothers and sisters. Smushi meets plenty of NPCs along the way, they all have their own stories and personalities which enhance the narrative experience. Overall, the story is very wholesome and upbeat, with some elements of mild peril to keep players on their toes!
Styling
Smushi Come Home features three main playable areas, all with their own individual colour palettes and environmental features giving them very distinct looks. Players can choose the level of pixelation in the graphics with appearances ranging from smooth and modern to fully retro vibes. The different mushrooms and characters that are dotted throughout the game are a highlight in terms of visuals, there is so much variety which really helps bring the game world to life. The music is simultaneously relaxing and upbeat giving the game a pleasantly casual feel even during the more high-pressure, or difficult challenges. It features gentle piano and twinkling noises to create a somewhat meditative experience.
Summary
Smushi Come Home is one of the most wholesome platforming adventures out there. It manages to maintain a relaxing gameplay style whilst offering a good amount of challenge through achievements and different tasks. Some platforming sections get especially tricky making them very satisfying to complete but the unpunishing nature of the game keeps things casual and laid back throughout. The meditative audio and colourful visuals match the gameplay and storyline perfectly and Smushi Come Home even offers customisation in terms of the level of pixelation. Overall, the game will take around 3-6 hours to finish, depending on the level of exploration and completion and offers a good amount of gameplay and substance for the price. I wholeheartedly recommend this game to a wide range of player types as it has so much to offer and will please a multitude of tastes.
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Mail Time – A Glorious Glide through Grumblewood Grove! – Lil Gator Game – An Utterly Adorable Alligator Adventure – Teacup – A Charming Tea-Themed Adventure in Little Pond