Story
This will be a very, very brief and vague review. Why? That's because the "game" EVERYTHING defies most descriptions. It doesn't fit it any genre or mold. It really isn't like anything out there on the market today. It really honestly, isn't a game per se. Are you confused yet? Well, that is the title's biggest strength and also most glaring weakness. I hadn't seen any marketing material on the game and in a season of huge AAA releases, something like this easily slips through the cracks. Also, it's so completely abstract, especially in the beginning, it will be hard to pull in new players, especially in an action heavy, short attention span generation of gamers. EVERYTHING is basically that, you can play as anything in the universe.
Gameplay
That's you. The player. Yep, a pig. You start the game out as a pig. You roll around, oinking at plants and other animals. It's not a great start to introduce you into the world of EVERYTHING but once again, being abstract as possible so I don't ruin the mystery and surprises of the game, just get through the pig part and you will see the entire universe open up. Without ruining the scope and ambition of this game, actually more of an experiment in literally being able to explore an entire universe, you can increase and decrease in size from a particle of dust all the way up to galaxies. It's a crazy yet unreal experience. Trust me.
Graphics
The graphics on display here are not photo realistic images that will blow your mind but when you are portraying an entire universe, it's hard to complain. They are simplistic with very limited animation but from pollen to rocks to trees to planets, you get to see a huge array of artistic representation the developers had in mind.
Replayability
You basically could play EVERYTHING for.. ever. It never really ends. There is no set story, goals, missions, or way to play. You just explore and unlock.. everything.
What It Could Have Done Better
Honestly, I don't know how much, besides the intro, I would change about the game. Playing as a pig with little or no context of what the game is or the huge scope is a big disservice to the amount of detail and work put into this title. Either drop the pig intro or find a much more intriguing way to discover the magic of the title. The more I think of improvements, I think it would ruin the experience so I'm still at a loss of words in many ways.
Verdict
This is an incredible tough game to score. Why? As I've mentioned, it's not a traditional game. It's an exploratory experience and journey of the universe we live in and even other alien worlds. You will roll around and "sing" and "dance" with other pigs, rocks, bacteria, planets, trees, and I won't say much more than that. This is a profound "thing" that every person should experience as the music, the depth, the quotes from the late Alan Watts is something we all need in this crazy and hurried world. The music is absolutely fantastic and I applaud the developers for going bold and doing something so unique.
