Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Eternam blends third-person graphic adventure elements with first-person 3D travel segments, offering a refreshing switch between puzzle-solving and exploration. Players guide Don Jonz through intricately designed island environments, each representing a different historical era, unpacking clever puzzles and interacting with memorable NPCs. The transition between viewpoints is seamless, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in both the character-driven narrative and the broader world map navigation.

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Combat is minimal, focusing instead on environmental challenges and inventory-based puzzles that require keen observation and logical thinking. You’ll find yourself combining seemingly unrelated items, deciphering cryptic clues, and manipulating switches to unlock hidden paths. While the difficulty curve starts gently, later islands present more complex multi-step tasks that reward patience and creative problem-solving.

Traveling between islands via the first-person sections adds a welcome change of pace. These sequences evoke classic point-and-click exploration, letting you survey the vastness of Eternam and plan your next move. Cartoon-style cutscenes punctuate your journey, providing humorous interludes and character development without breaking the game’s flow. Overall, the gameplay strikes a satisfying balance between leisurely exploration and satisfying intellectual challenge.

Graphics

Eternam’s graphic style leans into vibrant cartoon animations, giving the world a playful, almost theme-park feel. Characters exhibit expressive, exaggerated features that bring Don Jonz, his foes, and allies like Tracy to life. Animations are smooth and full of personality, from Don Jonz’s heroic poses to Mikhal Nuke’s dramatic entrances, creating a lighthearted tone that complements the game’s adventurous spirit.

The game’s island environments showcase a varied palette, with each time zone boasting unique architectural styles, lush vegetation, or futuristic constructs. Whether you’re wandering a medieval village or navigating a 1950s sci-fi dome, the attention to thematic detail helps differentiate each area, encouraging thorough exploration. Textures may feel dated by modern standards, but the stylized approach ensures that the visuals remain coherent and charming.

First-person travel sequences widen your field of vision, offering panoramic views of Eternam’s sprawling landscapes. While polygon counts and draw distances are modest, the creative use of color and shading compensates for technical limitations. Special effects, such as flickering holograms when Tracy communicates from within the system, add a layer of visual intrigue and reinforce the game’s narrative stakes.

Story

At its core, Eternam spins a tongue-in-cheek sci-fi yarn about Don Jonz, a decorated marshal who unwittingly wins a free trip to the galaxy’s most extravagant theme park. The premise quickly sours when his arch-nemesis, Mikhal Nuke, frames the excursion as a trap, stranding Jonz in primal costumes amid a web of time-reconstructed islands. This playful setup injects humor from the outset, setting expectations for clever twists rather than dire melodrama.

As you navigate each island, brief cartoon cutscenes and in-game dialogue reveal Mikhal Nuke’s devious puzzles and hidden challenges. The presence of Tracy—now a digital entity trapped inside the park’s mainframe—adds urgency and heart. Her witty remarks over the comms channel and occasional hints underscore a partnership that feels genuine, despite the farcical circumstances.

The narrative unfolds at a comfortable pace. Early chapters lean into comedy and lighthearted traps, while later segments ramp up tension as you inch closer to Nuke’s lair. Although the overarching plot adheres to familiar “hero-rescues-ally” tropes, the inventive settings and Tracy’s cheeky banter inject freshness, ensuring you remain invested in Jonz’s quest from start to finish.

Overall Experience

Eternam delivers a charming hybrid of adventure gaming and thematic exploration. Its varied gameplay loop and richly themed islands cater to players who appreciate puzzles and narrative flair without the stress of intense combat. The game’s moderate difficulty makes it accessible to newcomers, while veteran adventurers will relish the more intricate puzzles tucked in later stages.

While some technical aspects—such as lower-resolution textures and simpler animations—may show their age, Eternam’s stylized aesthetic and playful tone more than compensate. The dynamic between Don Jonz and Tracy offers a constant thread of humor and camaraderie, making even repetitive tasks feel enjoyable. The balance of visual storytelling and interactive challenges promotes a relaxing yet engaging play session.

For fans of classic graphic adventures seeking a lighthearted science-fiction romp, Eternam stands as a worthwhile journey. Its blend of nostalgic mechanics, witty writing, and imaginative world-building ensures that most players will be entertained from launch to the final showdown with Mikhal Nuke. Whether you’re in it for the puzzles, the story, or the scenic island-hopping, Eternam offers an experience that’s both approachable and memorable.

Retro Replay Score

7.6/10