Etherborn

Despite owning this game, I got a notice that my license for it has been revoked? I... what?
EDIT: 05/21/2024(was when it was re-instated)
Developer reached out to those who bought the game through a bundle(Like fanatical's fiesta bundle last year), and was extremely helpful.
Definitely recommend. My negative review was only because it was suddenly removed. Nothing further.

6.5/10
The score feels a little low and harsh but I can't honestly give it anything higher. There's nothing inherently bad about the game, it's just lacking something special. The game plays well, the perspective-based puzzles are a fun concept, and the art, music, and atmosphere are all lovely. The game is polished, well made, and has no real technical issues. Where it falls flat for me is that the game boils down to a short hop through some fairly simple puzzles, and I found that it just didn't capture my interests.
I'd like to emphasize that I do not think it is a bad game at all. If you can grab it during a sale I think the small time investment is worth giving it a go, and I would recommend doing so if you think it looks interesting.

The stuff that this game has is nice. The graphics are how they look on the cover, soundtrack is nice to listen to, and the puzzles are interesting and the main selling point of this game.
After beating the game there's a new game+ mode, which rearranges the location of some puzzle elements while keeping the same overall levels. I wasn't really interested in this part, but it's nice that the option is there.
There's technically a story in the game, but I didn't pay too much attention. The majority of the story comes in the force of a faceless narrator speaking at certain places in the game. The text felt like it was more intended to make me feel a certain emotion, than to tell me what was happening in the game, who I was, what the end goal of the game is.
Any downsides I feel about this game are minor. Some animations take time and are unskippable. Sometimes I wish I could move faster because I know where to go and how to get there, it just takes time for me to go all the way. Also you can rotate the camera in-place but you can't move the camera to observe your location from a different angle. In general this last point is not a problem because whenever you get to a new place you can just pause a second while the camera adjusts itself, I've only had one place where I wanted to see what was behind a wall but I couldn't. Also, I'm happy to say that I haven't been in any location where I soft-locked, so that's good.
Overall, I mildly recommend this game for puzzle enjoyers.

Etherborn is a breathtaking experience that combines stunning visuals with clever gameplay mechanics! The art style is absolutely mesmerizing, creating a dreamlike world that you’ll want to explore endlessly. Each level is a work of art, filled with vibrant colors and intricate designs that truly transport you into another realm.

The gravity-defying puzzles are innovative and challenging, making you think outside the box as you navigate the environment. The way the game plays with perspective adds a unique twist to traditional platforming, keeping you engaged and intrigued throughout.

The storytelling is subtle yet impactful, delivering a thought-provoking narrative that resonates long after you’ve finished the game. The atmospheric soundtrack perfectly complements the experience, enhancing the emotional journey you undertake.

If you’re looking for a game that beautifully blends art, music, and clever gameplay, Etherborn is a must-play. It’s a delightful and reflective adventure that stays with you! Highly recommended!

A great little puzzle game but not without it's flaws. 7/10
Pros:
- There was an organic 'now you're thinking with portals' moment, where things clicked, which always feels great.
-Fantastic concept and level design, for the most part
- Can be completed in a single session, and achievements are easy
- + mode was perhaps even more fun than the normal mode, or fun in a different way.
Meh
- Skipable cutscenes but unskipable, long animations at times
Cons:
- Story is awful, but puzzle games don't really need story anyway.
- Movement can feel a bit slow, or maybe travel distance was too far at parts (e.g. between levels)
- The penultimate level was miles better than the final level
- Unstoppable or even speed-up-able credits, which you will have to sit through twice if you play + mode

"Etherborn" looks visually stunning, but that’s about where the praise ends. The gravity-shifting mechanic is interesting at first, but the level design quickly becomes more frustrating than fun. The story tries to be deep and philosophical but comes off as vague and forgettable. It’s a short game, and yet, it still manages to overstay its welcome with slow pacing and awkward movement. Feels more like an artsy tech demo than a game you’d want to revisit.

TLDR:
This is a fun game. But it is extremely short given it's price.
It took me ~2 hours to finish the game, and about the same time again to complete New Game+, which is the same levels but slightly different puzzle solutions.
It has great visuals, audio & atmosphere.
The puzzles are great, the controls & physics are intuitive.
They've even added auto-run and skippable cut-scenes for quality of life.
The "story" is terrible and irrelevant. It's just dialogue that you'll end up skipping over; it feels like it was tacked on.
So I did have fun, and enjoyed the game. But I played through the game and NG+ with all achievements in under 4 hours (despite what Steam says it took, due to playing offline on the Deck).
Worth a play, but definitely not at full price.