Let The Happiness In, Pilgrim!
It’s been a hot minute since my last Gear Review. So what better way to return to this feature than with another tremendous physical edition from the good folks at Super Rare Games? You probably know by now that I love indies, but especially ones that surprise me. I’m also a fan of getting the most bang for my buck, which is why I’m really happy to be reviewing SRG’s physical Amanita Design two-step, the Happy Game / Pilgrims physical edition.
Like always, the package from SRG came tightly wrapped in a cardboard shell. Though it does a solid job of keeping the juicy contents safe, it’s also not hard to take apart carefully. And maybe with scissors. Once I got it out, I disposed of the plastic sleeve and bubble wrap envelope. Inside was one of the craziest one-two punches I’ve seen from Super Rare Games.
Czech developer Amanita Design has made some really wonderfully weird games over the years, from Botanicula to Machinarium, but Happy Game and Pilgrims are standout examples. Happy Game might have the word ‘happy’ in the title, but it’s a bit of a misnomer. The game is a psychedelic horror experience. You have to wake up by solving creepy puzzles, and coming face to face with seemingly cheerful but truthfully monstrous nightmare creatures.
As for Pilgrims, it’s a playful adventure where you run about solving problems and chatting with eclectic folks. It also boasts a really fantastic hand-drawn aesthetic. Both games couldn’t be more different, which is why it’s neat SRG has them married together in one Switch cartridge. Also neat is the fact that the Happy Game / Pilgrims physical edition also comes with something most offerings from Super Rare don’t – two packs of collectable cards! I’m used to one per game, though it makes perfect sense that this duo has two.
Although the cover art by default is for Pilgrims, the interior reveals the Happy Game within. So if you want to switch things up, you can carefully slide it out and reverse it. As for the requisite instruction manual, that is split, and you can flip it upside-down to change which game you’re reading about. Which is honestly very neat.
While Happy Game / Pilgrims is a very neat package from Super Rare Games, that also means it’s almost entirely sold out by now. Which is a bummer for those that missed out. But all that means is you should stay tuned to HPP for future offerings from them, enabling you plenty of time to order the next amazing indie published in physical form!
Final Verdict: 5/5
Editor’s note: The publisher provided a review copy to Hey Poor Player.
