Minute Of Islands: Don't Ignore The Content Warning (No Spoiler Review)

Availability: Available Now

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Mac, Classic Mac OS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4

Publisher: Mixtvision Games

Developer: Studio Fizbin

Genres: Indie, Adventure, Puzzle, Platformer,

Controller Support: Yes

Keyboard Support: Yes

I have played many games in my time, but none of which have made me cry publicly like Minute Of Islands. Minute Of Islands follows a character that goes by the name of "Mo" who is trying to save her world from an incident that caused toxic spores to fill the air. The setting for this game shows what living in a post apocalyptic world filled with magic would be like with out making things seem like it's trying to be edgy. People are out here wearing their normal clothing just trying to survive as best they can and help each other out. "Mo" uses the help of a scepter that was bestowed upon her to complete most of her tasks in this 2D platforming puzzle game. She is known to be a tinkerer and can fix almost anything, which does help when progressing through the game. This is something she is extremely proud of, as she should be. "Mo" currently resides beneath an island and uses a boat made of random mechanical pieces to get around to other areas of the game where the story will progress.

This is a no spoiler review, so I won't go much further than that about the premise of this game or it's characters that help "Mo" along the way. Something I did enjoy about this game that you can see in the trailer is that "Mo" Looks like your average human. She wields a scepter that helps her along in her travels of course, but that's it. She isn't super crazy strong, she doesn't have mutant powers, she isn't even a super genius. She is a young person dealing with trauma and mental health issues just trying to save what she has left. I think this speaks to a huge amount of us who wake up every day struggling with our own mind, but trying to keep pushing so that we can keep our lives afloat. There is a narrator of sorts that reads certain lines as the story progresses so it feels more like an interactive book at times more than a game, but I honestly love that about it. Also a huge plus is if you hate the "Mary Sue" or "Pick Me" main character type, this game shows all of "Mo's" flaws and all of her downfalls as if she were a human not a fictional character. It's extremely relatable and deserves recognition for that even if you don't like the mechanics of the game itself.

I came across Minute Of Islands one day as I was looking for a "cozy" game to stream and the artwork immediately drew me in. It is all in 2D and has a hand drawn feel. The color story is incredible, somehow making you feel both calm and dreary simultaneously. It's extremely fitting to the story and the amount of details in every scene is immaculate. Most things in the "background" can be viewed or interacted with in some way, and they even tell a story of the main character's life. Do be warned that some of the artwork is extremely graphic, for example dead animals with entrails being exposed, but it's done in a way that is beautifully morbid. I think it's incredible that a 2D platformer puzzle game can have such a powerful message imbedded within its pixels. Now the reason this game made me cry is because it does center around Mental Health. I found a lot of my own personal traits due to my depression, anxiety, and panic attacks being portrayed on a screen. I got to watch how the actions of the main character affected the people she loved. It caused a lot of self reflection that I couldn't have imagined was possible in a video game and honestly made me feel less overwhelmed at my own emotions. Being able to see that others can experience what I am experiencing and still better themselves was life changing. Now I am not saying this game will change your life, but I am saying that it is moving and powerful.

All of these heavy details and information are why I definitely recommend reading the content warning at the beginning of the game before playing if you are someone who struggles with Mental Health. I scoffed at it a bit thinking that it wasn't going to be that intense due to how "cute" and "simple" the game looked, but boy was I wrong. This text at the beginning does warn of triggers which I can confirm will happen, but for me personally was something I feel like I was able to look past because of the lesson at the end of the game being so impactful. According to Steam I had played about 6.8 hours of this game when I finally finished the main story line. If you aren't someone who looks for all the extra content, you may finish a bit sooner. I am not a completionist so I only got 13/17 achievements and I didn't finish the extra "memory" finding content that is throughout the game. That's probably why my play time was a bit on the low side.

Overall Minute Of Islands is for anyone who loves games with an incredible story line or beautiful artwork. If you're into puzzle games because of the difficulty, you may find the puzzles in this game a bit too easy to complete. Not to say I didn't have to really think about some of them, but as someone who doesn't play puzzle games often I can say the difficulty was a low to medium. Just a heads up, there is an after credits scene when you finish the main story line that I definitely suggest you stick around for! You really are here to play this game for the experience and for 20 bucks, I think that is enough to get a recommendation from us here at the Helpful Hunter's Guild!