Remarkably stunning work of art. This is already going to be a contender for my personal Game of the Year. I’m only 4.5hrs into the story, but time flew by so quickly, as I was completely immersed in the dreamlike atmosphere and fascinating lore. It appears that I’ve unlocked less than half of the map so far, and I’m so excited to continue exploring. The nonlinear “weaving in and out of time” storyline is captivating. I am astounded that this game was made by just two people; it’s hugely ambitious and they pulled it off. The level of detail and polish here rivals (and surpasses many) AAA games that are three times the price. The eight years of meticulous development really shows. The soundtrack is so breathtakingly beautiful, and easily makes my top five video game soundtracks of all time. The developers have clearly poured every single drop of genuine passion possible into their project. It’s truly an experience, and proof that video games are an art form.

I’ll update this review after I complete the game, but wanted to post a recommendation sooner rather than later, as this is the most “hidden gem” game I’ve ever experienced. For what it’s worth in helping others who are wondering whether this is the sort of game they’ll enjoy, my two favorite genres of video games are RPGs (especially Elden Ring, Hogwarts Legacy, and Dragon Quest XI S) and cozy games (especially Coral Island, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and Animal Crossing), and I most value the quality of “exploration” in games. I don’t normally go for games that have many puzzles, but the ones in The End of the Sun have really been fun and relaxing for me.

Steam Deck users: Flawless!!! I’m playing on my Steam Deck OLED. The developers have been modest in recommending “low” settings. I’ve actually pushed the game to “high” settings, at a locked 30fps. The gameplay on these settings is very smooth. The only slight frame drops are in the (impressively cinematic!) cutscenes, which personally doesn’t bother me. If it bothers you, just drop to “medium” or “low” settings. Also, be sure to adjust the resolution to 1280x800 (the deck’s native resolution). Controls on deck are perfect.

UPDATE: I just hit the credits! With a backlog of over 1000 games (long time console gamer, but newer to PC gaming, so there’s a lot that I want to experience and also replay on PC), it’s rare for me to finish a game these days, let alone so quickly. But, The End of the Sun grabbed my attention and my heart for the last several days and I found myself thinking about the game and longing to return to the world each evening. After three nights and about ten hours (9.8 hours according to my Steam Deck, although my Steam profile is inaccurately showing 8.9 hours), I completed the story (although I’m missing some achievements, so I could squeeze out a couple more hours of time, it appears!). What heartfelt and thought-provoking storytelling. I’ll be left to contemplate the beautiful themes and folklore for some time. I will be wholeheartedly recommending this game to everyone I know. The level of polish is met by the level of kindness and respect that the developers have shown to all of the players of this game, as seen in the discussion board. To see and experience such genuine passion and warmth has been the cherry on top of my experience with The End of the Sun. Despite finishing the story, I’m leaving the game installed on my Steam Deck, because I cannot yet bear to part with the mystical world that they’ve created. <3 I look forward to visiting it again every now and then, if only to marvel at the scenery and music, and maybe also to grab those last few achievements. :)

SECOND UPDATE: I already went back into the game last night, as I laid in bed, because I kept thinking about the world and just wanted to poke around some more. Grabbed a few more elusive achievements, and just took in the scenery. Another two and a half hours just flew right by! :) Definitely one of my favorite games. Something really, really special. The developers are the BEST and nicest people I’ve ever come across in the gaming industry, no exaggeration. I’d want to support this game purely based on what wonderful people they are, but it’s truly a great (and rare) thing when the game that they made is just as wonderful as they are.

For eight long years a dream was spun,
Now dawns a tale of myths and fun.
In lands of Slavic lore so deep,
Where secrets of the ages sleep.

Step in as Ashter, sorcerer bold,
Who bends time’s fabric, stories told.
Travel past and future side by side,
Where ancient holidays and legends reside.

A village frozen in time’s embrace,
Unfolds its mysteries with artful grace.
Seasons shift and the weather sings,
Every choice a new fate brings.

Photogrammetry paints each scene,
With real-world touch, so vivid and keen.
Each scanned relic and every storied stone
Speaks of heritage and culture known.

Dynamic realms, nonlinear in flow,
Allow you to choose just where to go.
Every whispered wind and rain’s caress
Unveils hidden truths you must possess.

A labor of love by two devoted souls,
Independent passion that truly consoles.
Their vision pure, with no compromise in sight,
A heartfelt journey bathed in wonder and light.

With voices rich in many tongues,
Ancient songs and lore are sung.
In The End of The Sun your adventure shall rise—
Step into a myth, where enchantment lies.

I’m glad I’ve played it. Not a masterpiece, and with many decisions I would personally label as "questionable", but you can't argue that 1) this game feels like its developers had great, ambitious plans and were truly trying to express either something, maybe even themselves, through their work, and 2) a huge amount of effort and creative ideas is been presented in here, and I would never argue that any chunk of this game was half-as sed or lazy.

It starts as a walking simulator, which makes sense considering how many detailed cutscenes there are, but then becomes an honest to gods adventure game. An easy one, sure, but that's mainly because it uses cute visual hints that help you navigate and explore, and avoids keeping you in a single spot for too long.

Once you get the access to the semi-open world (which is small, but presented to you in different time periods, providing you with fun lore on the characters and the passage of their lives, sometimes in optional, even secret areas) and you get to walk about, jumping between diverse puzzles, worlds, putting together the non-linear narratives, and seeing how the tales show up once, and then change... It's just great. It feels like you don't waste any time. Just absorb and experiment.

That’s until the game does start to waste your time a bit, for example by introducing unironic "go for five minutes to point A to watch a cutscene, cross the entire map to point B to grab an item, and return to point A to watch another cutscene" tasks. While at first this type of fetch quests allow you to see more of the world and you complete them partially by accident, it gets old quickly. Fast travel would improve my experience tremendously and while I can imagine that it’d be against the “vibe” of nature and the spirit of exploration, it would be a cool addition to introduce it once all the “flag points” have been visited at least once.

Some details are a bit awkward. The animation is, well, better than I could ever do, but it tries to show a lot of detail while being very woody, expressionless. The voice actors - at least in the Polish version - feel a bit one-tone and lack direction at times, and the outcome of their attempts at portraying the same characters as kids, adults, and elders is super weird. It was difficult for me to get immersed. Also, some parts of the game would definitely feel stronger without a character explaining to you what you are meant to get out of the game’s metaphors. And there’s a whole can of worms involving the ahistorical pop-Slavic folklore, with a weird mix of 2006’s The Fountain added in.

But then again... This game’s been in production for, how long, 7, 8 years? Some ideas introduced a long while back probably didn’t age well, but had to be kept and maintained to move forward. The Heart of The Sun would probably get a bit more perfect after another ten years, constantly getting chased forward by doubt, insecurities, and anxieties. But the devs managed to seal this colossal effort and presented a cohesive, strong work. It didn’t resonate with me emotionally, but it will with some folks. And I’m happy for them, and glad I got to be here for it.