Entwined Reviews
Entwined is right on the cusp of being a masterpiece. A gorgeous art style is complemented by an exquisite soundtrack and tight controls, which culminates in one of the best PS4 titles to date. The game's occasional lack of identity prevents it from receiving the very top marks, but don't let that put you off this romantic release.
It blessed me with the warm peace of creating a connection between two very unlike entities and seeing their glorious union fly higher than either could on their own. The message is brief but everlasting.
It's a fun little game with some gorgeous visual and musical style, but it fails to evoke the emotional core that similar games like Journey and Flower were able to. The challenging gameplay and the musical score may be enough for some players, but those in search of more depth will need to look elsewhere.
Pixelopus has nailed the audio and visual aspects of poetic game making. Now they just need to work on what players do...and what it all means.
Even at less than two hours of playtime, I can't complain when it costs more to go to a movie. In that way, Entwined feels like Journey and that's high praise for upstart developer Pixelopus.
Entwined is just far more satisfying to look at or listen to than it is to actually play.
Comforting colors, excellent sound design, and simple gameplay make Entwined a lovely and fleeting experience.
Too simple to be satisfying, and not thematically deep enough to be interesting
A disappointingly bare-bones color-matching game that doesn't measure up to its artsy promise.
But a small handful of highlights is not enough to save Entwined. It's a game that strains for profundity and meaning - that's particularly evident in its Trophy titles - but finds them ever beyond its grasp. Some will be soothed by its contemplative mood, others will relish the challenge of mastering those devious patterns, but to me the two felt like an awkward mismatch. Sony might have given Entwined a gentle shove into the spotlight, but there are surely better, more deserving PS4 indies waiting in the wings for their time to shine.
PS4's Entwined doesn't fully deliver on its promise. It's beautiful, but also frustrating.