It has become common to see indie games take inspiration from Breath of the Wild. The challenge for devs then lies in taking that inspiration and using it to make your own unique mark. The latest game to attempt that feat is Smushi Come Home. Does this cozy indie make good use of its Breath of the Wild-like mechanics? Who is this game for?
Let’s Dive into it.
Smushi Come Home is available for the Nintendo Switch and PC. I played the PC version of the game and played the whole game on my Steam Deck. Full disclosure I was provided with a review code.
Narrative:
In Smushi Come Home you play as Smushi, a mushroom who was minding his own damn business when a Bird started making trouble in his neighborhood. Unfortunately for this mushroom, the squabble didn’t go his way. As a result, he is separated from his family and his island. Now he is on a mission to find his way back home.
Gameplay:
The core of this game is collecting items to help you progress and to solve puzzles. Unlike games like Planet of Lana and Limbo, these puzzles are often on the more simplistic side. You can often solve each one after a few moments of looking at it.
The gameplay itself is pretty reminiscent of Lil Gator Game and Breath of the Wild. You glide and run with a stamina bar showing you your limits. You explore the map to find collectibles, help other creatures, and do tasks that will boast your stamina. Like Lil Gator Game, Smushi Come Home is a cozy experience so don’t expect any combat here. There isn’t even any fall damage. This experience is for those looking for a game with low stakes, solid gameplay, and a good fun time.
The controls and gameplay are right and precise. There was only one aspect of the gameplay that wasn’t 100% enjoyable (more on that in a bit). Other than the one con this is a well-polished experience.
Additional Pros:
One of the best aspects of this game is its artsyle and soundtrack. Both add the perfect element to make this a memorable cozy experience. The soundtrack in particular is relaxing and joyful.
Smushi Comes Home also has small mini-games and challenges, which generally feels like unnecessary extra padding in these types of games, but here it works well. There is one where you have to catch items in a budget as they fall down. There are some gliding challenges and there are some speed swimming challenges.
Another great aspect of this game is that it plays wonderfully on the Steam Deck. It doesn’t consume a lot of battery offering around four to five hours of playtime. I didn’t have to tweak any settings at all to play it seamlessly.
Cons:
There isn’t a lot to complain about with this game, but one aspect that didn’t really click with me is when you swim underwater. The rise and descend controls felt less smooth than the rest of the game.
Overall/Should you Play Smushi Come Home:
If you are looking for a cozy game to play that is a short but memorable experience then you should check out Smushi Come Home. While it does have an underwater part of the game that doesn’t quite hit, the rest of the game delivers a relaxing journey filled with fun exploration and puzzles. Smushi Come Home is a wonderful game that fits perfectly as a handheld game whether it’s your Switch or Steam Deck. As of right now Smushi Come Home is a strong contender for cozy game of the year.
Where should Smushi Come Home fit in your video game backlog list:
Here at the ProNerd Report and on the Single Player Experience Podcast, we practice the 10 games backlog rule. In this practice, you log down 10 games, those games are gonna be your video game backlog. To be as productive as you possibly can be, we recommend that you only play three games at one time. One single player narrative game, one game that’s gonna be your chill and relaxed game, and another game that’s going to be your palate cleanser game, which is a game that you play when you’re not in the mood for your other narrative. When you complete or get tired of one game, it leaves the backlog list. Then you decide which new game is added to the list, and which game on the list advances to your active three games.
Smushi Come Home – Let’s not beat around the bush…this is a game made for that Chill and Relax spot. You should definitely play it when you are in the mood to relax and kick back.
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