NOTE: This review is part of my steam curator review and is the extended version. Check my steam curator page at https://store.steampowered.com/curator/39607348-Random-Game-Reviews-by-Labprofess/ . Follow appreciated!


Existensis is just wow. Despite the random name which I'm still struggling to understand, this game is one of the best I have played recently. However, if I had to guess, I would say the name got some inspiration from the word ‘exist’ which can be explained as the existence of a certain object or idea. If so, that's a very smart title which foretells the background of the game and its purpose in relation to the player, you. To fully understand this let's look at what the game is about. This game revolves around you, the mayor, seeking inspiration to build a tower that represents the journey of life. But you are out of ideas so you travel the world in hope of understanding more about life and death in general which ultimately help you shape the design of your tower and its creation. Seems simple right? But the journey to get there is filled with emotion, astonishment and philosophical questions that will make you reflect on the purpose of time and how you would like to spend it (or not if you don't care). You are trying to find reasons for existing and the end of existence (death) in order to work on a greater project. An entire paragraph on what a game title might mean and its relevance to the game. This already justifies the game's tag ‘philosophical’.

The game looks beautiful. It's all hand drawn. It's difficult to believe, I know. The drawings, possibly scanned or digital art look amazing. Very good use of vibrant colors, wherever you look. Even the backgrounds are detailed. The dedication and hours of work put into just one level carries on throughout the entire game including the NPCs. Even the non-interactive NPCs are detailed from top to bottom. It really shows that the developer is proud of his creation. You spend around half the story time just appreciating the scenery in awe. I checked over the developers Reddit where they showcased the drawings of the various assets of the game and it's a lot of paper. Big props to the developer for going through with it. I can imagine it wasn't easy and motivation quickly drained out. Now I spoke so much about the colors and beauty of the assets, but what about how the game runs? Perfect. Even a potato could run it. The game doesn't have graphic settings but that doesn't make it bad. Come on - even a mac can run it. There's nothing to worry about.

Lastly, to conclude this review I want to answer the question if this game is worth its price and your time. The short answer is yes. The longer answer is yes, however don't think this is a bug free experience. Neither does it target everyone's interest. First, if you are into the bigger picture of the meaning of life and death, this is for you. Doesn't matter if you’re religious or not. It doesn't conflict with religious values at all. Rather it supports them by mentioning points of life's meaning which are present in various religions. It merely builds up on them or simplifies them. However, if you don't want to face death and the bigger picture of life, this isn't for you. Now regarding bugs. There are 2 bugs I noticed: First, you can fall off the map in some places if you make the correct jump at the edge of the map from a tall platform. You fall into nothingness and have to restart the level. Sucks. Another bug is the full screen key: DON'T spam it! If you spam it too quickly, the screen can just turn black and you can't even use your pc! Have to restart it completely :/ (However, I'm using a new monitor so It might be on my end, not sure). With all this said now, and you knowing what the game is about, including an insight to ‘imperfections’ , it's up to you to decide if you want to get the game. I would say go for it, the amount of work put in the game and its story rich environment justify its price 100%. Enjoy!