Springs, Eternal review

The legend goes that those who visit each of Stillwater’s springs and meditate with open minds will open the path to the life they seek. Setting off into the woods in search of the answers to your questions, you arrive at cabin 108 alone, guided by nothing but the moonlight and a beckoning call to enter the waters. Soak deeply in thought alongside other lost souls, and reflect on the past that brought you to this place.

Springs, Eternal is a first-person exploration game that tasks you with visiting each of Stillwater’s springs, a relaxation resort located deep within the wilderness that invites visitors to meditate on their troubles by taking a dip in numerous mountain springs. If you’re familiar with developer Fullbright’s other games, ‘Gone Home’ and ‘Tacoma’, you probably already know what you’re getting into. These are narrative-focused experiences that lean more into telling a story with the game as a medium, and Springs, Eternal follows in the same exploration adventure footsteps. Much of the actual gameplay ends up being walking around and investigating the environment: inspecting books, notes, pinecones, etc. For cozy game enjoyers, this is a plus, but the ‘walking sim’ nature of the game might turn away other folks looking for a more engaging experience beyond the narrative.

While Springs, Eternal may be simple in terms of gameplay, it makes up for it with an immersive story and a 90s-esque dithered pixel atmosphere. You’re free to roam about the misty mountain trails at your own pace, taking in the sights and lo-fi inspired sounds as you visit each spring. As you soak in the waters, you will meditate on memories of a woman named Twyla and uncover more of the truth behind the past relationship that brought you to the hot springs. The narrative of a troubled relationship is certainly not breaking any new ground, but I enjoyed the way that the story is delivered and appreciated the focus on personal reflection that the main character ultimately goes through.

Despite having some eerie moments in the dark and a handful of jump scares, the vibe isn’t really horror but more of a moody trip through the woods. Whether it’s coming across a friendly Jizu statue in a hidden shrine or pondering the mysteries of a rock formation, I was amused finding various landmarks hidden around the springs, and enjoyed unraveling the mysteries of the land and my memories as it unfurled before me. There are also hidden vinyl records around the resort that you can bring back and play at the grand lodge for all those collectophiles out there.

Narrative adventure games such as this often require a lot of backtracking once you’ve found keys or other macguffins, but thankfully, the worries of backtracking are alleviated by a secret system that allows you to maneuver around the springs in an instant. This method of travel is intended to be discovered in-game so I won’t spoil how to access it, but I will say that it made the issue of annoying backtracking that is often present in games like this essentially non-existent, which I appreciated.

As you continue to explore the sacred sites of Stillwater, you’ll come across all manner of folks partaking in the waters right alongside you. Some are old friends, others are lovers, and some are seekers of a truth currently unknown to them. Regardless of their motive, they’re each fun to briefly chat with as you go about your journey. There’s a little over a dozen people to find, with some conversations also opening up new dialogue for other people around the mountain. I do wish there was a bit more to do with these npc’s besides speaking with them once or twice, considering they’re one of the only things that you can really interact with, but what we have is still decent.

I enjoyed my brief time relaxing in the hot springs of Stillwater, completing the game in just over two hours. Connecting with strangers in the steamy mountain waters underneath the starry skies and dewy pines proved to be a fun narrative adventure of acceptance and inner peace. While I do wish there was a bit more to explore, I can still recommend this to fans of Fullbright’s past works or those looking for a laid-back trek through the mysterious wilderness.