I first learned about artist Laura Shigihara through her work on the song “Everything’s Alright” from one of my favorite games, “To the Moon.” So obviously when I found out she was releasing her own game in 2017, I had no hesitation in jumping right on. I’ve been waiting for the Switch release for a long time. That release eventually came in the form of her Rakuen: Deluxe Edition. This includes not only the original game, but also its smaller sequel, Mr. Saito. These two of her games are coming to Nintendo’s platform, so are they worth your time?For immediate answers, absolutely.
In Rakuen, you play as a boy who is indefinitely hospitalized. His condition has at least improved enough to allow him to walk around the ward where he lives and meet other patients and hospital staff working there. The guardian Morizola tells him stories that take place in the enchanted forest where he lives, granting one wish to those he deems worthy. Guiding, the boy decides that he wants to hear a wish from Morisora.Since Morisora is asleep, the only way to wake him up is to find the five parts of Mori no Kokoro, the song that wakes him up. To find the different parts of the song, the boy and his mother begin exploring and interacting with the patient’s forest counterparts back at the hospital, listening to their stories and helping them get over their current trauma. The result is a story that’s both cute and fun to look at and feel, but at times I’m surprised by the cleverly executed attacks directly on the heartstrings.
Rakuen is another game primarily made with the RPG Maker engine. In short, the gameplay is as simple as possible. You can wander around the world, touch things and people with A, look up inventories and diaries with X, and ask your mom for hints with Y. Areas of Rakuen tend to be very puzzle-based, whether they’re based on pressing switches or not. Push blocks in the right order or find the right combination of actions to trigger your way forward. All these puzzles are well put together, but nothing too difficult. One small gripe I have regarding the gameplay is I understand this is a game that takes time but the default walking speed of the boy can start so it would be nice if there was an option to at least move a little faster I wish it was. It feels a little slow sometimes. This is especially true in some sections walking through areas that have already been visited many times.
The package also includes Rakuen’s newly released mini-sequel Mr. Saito, which basically plays like its predecessor. In Mr. Saitou, I play Saito, an unfulfilled llamaworm office worker. When a young Tsubomi named Brandon breaks into his home, Saito finds himself escorting Brandon on an adventure to visit a flooded gem cave, a place he’s always dreamed of going to. The story of a man pioneering a new outlook on life may not be as emotionally powerful as Paradise, but it still maintains the level of charm and heart that made the first game so memorable. Much shorter, recording just under 2 hours compared to Rakuen’s 6-8 hour run time.
Above all, Rakuen and Mr. Saito offer a fun and engaging experience in a magical world that can leave you with an emotional wreck at the end. It is sure to keep in your mind for a long time. Laura Shigihara’s background as a musician is evident in the game’s soundtrack. It’s not a soundtrack you’ll forget quickly. Paradise is a story about grief and life, a well-told one, and one that people should definitely experience if they get the chance.
