It drives me insane when it comes to talking about these sorts of games since it always feels like a total minefield about how much I can say before I get into some pretty serious spoiler territory. It's especially the case when it comes to a game I find as cool as this one because it makes me all the more determined to insist on not contributing to the endless sea of spoilers that is the internet. With that said though, wow, what a great game, one that manages to walk that line perfectly between representing its influences prominently while also going for a style and approach that's wholly distinct and its own. It's a game that not only represents the inherent flaws in calling a game inspired by something else a "[blank] clone", but is also able to demonstrate the sheer versatility of games as an artform with how much variety and incredibly distinct characteristic there can be in even the most similar looking experience. I'd say that it also conveys that games shouldn't be so inherently opposed to stylistically following in the footsteps of others if they have something unique of their own to bring to the table, and this definitely has a lot of interesting stuff to say.
While one of the most popular summaries I've seen of this game falls somewhere along the line of "Undertale meets rhythm games", I'd argue that this is only true on the most superficial level both thematically and mechanically. In terms of mechanics, while there's clearly a rhythm game aesthetic that's intrinsically tied to this, with the enemies summoning obstacles in accordance to the music along with the arena you fight everyone in being reminiscent of a Guitar Hero chart, this is far closer to a bullet hell than it is a true rhythm game. This goes all the way to the point where there are some section that feel as if the player's actions are totally disconnected to the music going on, and while those who expected a proper rhythm game would probably find this an odd or downright terrible decision, it's something that becomes much easier to appreciate if you're able to take it as a very stylish bullet hell that's intrinsically linked to the soundtrack. It also helps that the combat itself feels so fun, with your character's movement being largely fast and very responsive, which is a must for a game that gets as chaotic and fast paced as this one. The way it's able to better represent the characters themselves and bring forth a lot of interesting mechanical challenges is also really neat.
Rarely does it feel as if two fights can be approached in a similar way, whether it's because of certain patterns forcing the player to act in a certain way, a type of obstacle unique to a certain fight, or even just in the more nuanced areas of how the player needs to respond to any given situation in front of them, almost every battle feels wholly unique and entertaining. The exception to this is when a certain element gets introduced about halfway into the game and throws some of the difficulty balancing a bit off, almost going against the core gameplay loop in the process, but fortunately the times which this additional element reveals its more negative connotations are relatively uncommon and are able to actually add to some of the best moments in the game. Overall, this element is a bit of a double edged sword but mostly works out well, so the bad points it brings to the table are largely an acceptable tradeoff. I also am a big fan of the way this game handles difficulty for the most part as well, having a really smooth difficulty curve at the start and getting absolutely brutal by the end, but also feeling as if it can get pretty interesting with things to further solidify the narrative side of things. Occasionally you'll just get put up against something that feels far beyond what everything else is, or uncharacteristically easy, but it always feels fitting from a narrative perspective and serves to strengthen the relationship between these combat sections and the overworld, reinforcing the way that these are 2 parts of the same world and not separate entities that only coexist for the sake of providing some more cohesion to the experience. At the same time, the devs also understand that putting in some optional superbosses is a really fun time and one that is able to transcend any semblance of such a difficulty curve to create some moments of pure insanity for those who are looking for the game's mechanics to be pushed to their absolute limits.
Cohesion on the whole is something that this game has a ton of in ways similar to this, which is surprising given how abstract and psychedelic it can often get. You have a bunch of these moments that go completely off the rails visually and yet, once you begin to better understand the game and its world, none of this ever feels entirely out of nowhere, it all has a reason to exist and is all integral to how the game functions. Being able to craft multiple encounters that reach incredible levels of flashiness and creativity in the way that this game does, all without sacrificing any part of its identity or feeling superfluous is one of its strongest characteristics from where I stand.
The abstract nature of Everhood's presentation is also very strong in the way it contributes to its surreal atmosphere along with some of its deeper narrative themes. The world feels so sparse, yet full of colour in a way that you never feel able to get a full grasp on the situation. It's hard to tell how happy a lot of these characters really are and how much they're merely trying to pass time in the endless expanse of nothingness that they live in. The more atmospheric approach to the world design here often also feels more reminiscent of games like Yume Nikki beyond anything else, which is a massive plus in my eyes, especially one that understands how to use the surreal, often nonsensical composition of the world to its benefit. Beyond the artstyle and vibe of some of the comedy, I really cannot say in good faith that this is an Undertale clone either, especially from a thematic standpoint and the way that while Undertale focused on the concept of humanising fictional entities and the player's relationship with their protagonist character, Everhood instead uses the medium to ponder more abstract concepts relating to the nature of existence itself. I was surprised with the way that this game would often reflect a lot of Buddhist ideologies about what life truly is, and what it means to exist, using an interactive medium to allow the audience to become further immersed in the world that was created in an attempt to allow them to more strongly question what the game was telling them. This also served to strengthen the moral dilemma that the player is then faced with, as while there is a "true ending" so to speak, it's not particularly black and white in what is considered the morally correct option, which can be seen both as a way to make the game feel less didactic on the whole, and also could be seen as representing the endlessly complex and nuanced nature of life itself.
Overall, Everhood is a game that subverts so many expectations and does so in a constantly engaging way. What might seem like something that wears its influences a bit too heavily on its sleeve to begin with quickly evolves into something wholly unique. There are so many idiosyncrasies present here, ranging from the intentionally sparse overworld being contrasted by these high octane, sensory overload inducing combat sequences, to the way that the game keeps itself so vague without feeling as if it's being contrived about it. Everhood is a careful balancing act that feels as if it could easily have fallen apart at every step of the way, yet rarely does so, and it's truly an amazing experience that I would recommend wholeheartedly. Don't be deterred by the game's surface level appearance, there's so much more to it.
While one of the most popular summaries I've seen of this game falls somewhere along the line of "Undertale meets rhythm games", I'd argue that this is only true on the most superficial level both thematically and mechanically. In terms of mechanics, while there's clearly a rhythm game aesthetic that's intrinsically tied to this, with the enemies summoning obstacles in accordance to the music along with the arena you fight everyone in being reminiscent of a Guitar Hero chart, this is far closer to a bullet hell than it is a true rhythm game. This goes all the way to the point where there are some section that feel as if the player's actions are totally disconnected to the music going on, and while those who expected a proper rhythm game would probably find this an odd or downright terrible decision, it's something that becomes much easier to appreciate if you're able to take it as a very stylish bullet hell that's intrinsically linked to the soundtrack. It also helps that the combat itself feels so fun, with your character's movement being largely fast and very responsive, which is a must for a game that gets as chaotic and fast paced as this one. The way it's able to better represent the characters themselves and bring forth a lot of interesting mechanical challenges is also really neat.
Rarely does it feel as if two fights can be approached in a similar way, whether it's because of certain patterns forcing the player to act in a certain way, a type of obstacle unique to a certain fight, or even just in the more nuanced areas of how the player needs to respond to any given situation in front of them, almost every battle feels wholly unique and entertaining. The exception to this is when a certain element gets introduced about halfway into the game and throws some of the difficulty balancing a bit off, almost going against the core gameplay loop in the process, but fortunately the times which this additional element reveals its more negative connotations are relatively uncommon and are able to actually add to some of the best moments in the game. Overall, this element is a bit of a double edged sword but mostly works out well, so the bad points it brings to the table are largely an acceptable tradeoff. I also am a big fan of the way this game handles difficulty for the most part as well, having a really smooth difficulty curve at the start and getting absolutely brutal by the end, but also feeling as if it can get pretty interesting with things to further solidify the narrative side of things. Occasionally you'll just get put up against something that feels far beyond what everything else is, or uncharacteristically easy, but it always feels fitting from a narrative perspective and serves to strengthen the relationship between these combat sections and the overworld, reinforcing the way that these are 2 parts of the same world and not separate entities that only coexist for the sake of providing some more cohesion to the experience. At the same time, the devs also understand that putting in some optional superbosses is a really fun time and one that is able to transcend any semblance of such a difficulty curve to create some moments of pure insanity for those who are looking for the game's mechanics to be pushed to their absolute limits.
Cohesion on the whole is something that this game has a ton of in ways similar to this, which is surprising given how abstract and psychedelic it can often get. You have a bunch of these moments that go completely off the rails visually and yet, once you begin to better understand the game and its world, none of this ever feels entirely out of nowhere, it all has a reason to exist and is all integral to how the game functions. Being able to craft multiple encounters that reach incredible levels of flashiness and creativity in the way that this game does, all without sacrificing any part of its identity or feeling superfluous is one of its strongest characteristics from where I stand.
The abstract nature of Everhood's presentation is also very strong in the way it contributes to its surreal atmosphere along with some of its deeper narrative themes. The world feels so sparse, yet full of colour in a way that you never feel able to get a full grasp on the situation. It's hard to tell how happy a lot of these characters really are and how much they're merely trying to pass time in the endless expanse of nothingness that they live in. The more atmospheric approach to the world design here often also feels more reminiscent of games like Yume Nikki beyond anything else, which is a massive plus in my eyes, especially one that understands how to use the surreal, often nonsensical composition of the world to its benefit. Beyond the artstyle and vibe of some of the comedy, I really cannot say in good faith that this is an Undertale clone either, especially from a thematic standpoint and the way that while Undertale focused on the concept of humanising fictional entities and the player's relationship with their protagonist character, Everhood instead uses the medium to ponder more abstract concepts relating to the nature of existence itself. I was surprised with the way that this game would often reflect a lot of Buddhist ideologies about what life truly is, and what it means to exist, using an interactive medium to allow the audience to become further immersed in the world that was created in an attempt to allow them to more strongly question what the game was telling them. This also served to strengthen the moral dilemma that the player is then faced with, as while there is a "true ending" so to speak, it's not particularly black and white in what is considered the morally correct option, which can be seen both as a way to make the game feel less didactic on the whole, and also could be seen as representing the endlessly complex and nuanced nature of life itself.
Overall, Everhood is a game that subverts so many expectations and does so in a constantly engaging way. What might seem like something that wears its influences a bit too heavily on its sleeve to begin with quickly evolves into something wholly unique. There are so many idiosyncrasies present here, ranging from the intentionally sparse overworld being contrasted by these high octane, sensory overload inducing combat sequences, to the way that the game keeps itself so vague without feeling as if it's being contrived about it. Everhood is a careful balancing act that feels as if it could easily have fallen apart at every step of the way, yet rarely does so, and it's truly an amazing experience that I would recommend wholeheartedly. Don't be deterred by the game's surface level appearance, there's so much more to it.