Viewfinder

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Viewfinder

Preview

Abstract and Esoteric

EA SCOUT the last line of defense for buying on Steam's Early Access

Points of View


Perspective is a fascinating medium to toy around with, and video games can bend rules in ways that other mediums of entertainment cannot. Players of Viewfinder will find themselves in a beautiful and tranquil world that operates on making gamers question perception and reality.

Altering your point of view by manipulating objects, particularly photographs and drawings, allows for interaction within the world of Viewfinder, creating platforms or holes by holding a photograph out over the empty void at just the right angle to reach the next area, or weaponizing a lack of object permanence by holding out a photo so that the wall or gate behind it is 'forgotten' so that players can slip into previously inaccessible areas.

Viewfinder's controls take a bit of getting used to, but fortunately players have access to a 'rewind' feature that can be used to return to a time before they placed objects, allowing them to experiment with alternative solutions. This could be whether they originally failed, or wanted to merely see about a different plan of attack in reaching 'Point B' as creatively as possible. This holds especially true when players are given far more tools than actually necessary to accomplish their task.

A Serene Puzzle


Viewfinder is a game that encourages a calm atmosphere, with no real reason to not take your time in admiring the atmosphere while exploring and solving puzzles. Stakes are minimal, particularly thanks to the handy aforementioned rewind feature, and players can take as long or short a time as they want exploring and searching for lore that is hidden sometimes within plain sight.



There is a lot to uncover within Viewfinder, but the game's narrative is very player-driven, meaning that players will be able to experience everything at their own pace if they so choose to root around and experience it, or otherwise just travel through and enjoy the environments and puzzles however they see fit.

Minor Issues


Tragically, the world of Viewfinder is not perfect. While playing the preview version, this reviewer encountered a few issues with stuttering and screen-tearing. Nothing game breaking, but indications that the dev team still have a few things to prepare leading up to the release. These issues can also be allayed somewhat thanks to the amount of accessibility options in the menu that help fine-tune the game for ease of use.

A Not Too Distant View


Viewfinder is due to release sometime this year, but unfortunately there is no set in stone release date yet. This means gamers will have to wait an indeterminate amount of time to stretch their brains and enjoy the beautiful sights to be seen. But then, from a different perspective, it shouldn't be too long of a wait at all!


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Recommend

There are no guarantees - but we'd bet our own money on this one. If you're going to take a chance with yours, odds are good this one will deliver.

Hooked Gamer's Steam Early Access forecasts are intended to help you differentiate between Early Access games that have the potential to blossom and those more likely to fail. We look at the team's ambitions, their track record, and the state of the latest build to predict if opening your wallet will help fund a potentially great game, or is better used to light other fires.