One of the more difficult sorts of games out there to review are ones that challenge you in some way. While people would normally think of tough-as-nails games like Hollow Knight or Super Meat Boy when using that term, there are absolutely other ways that talented developers can push you. Whether that be with storylines that can involve unpleasant truths, needing to adapt to new types of puzzles, or even in showing the patience to embrace new styles of play, sometimes the unexpected can be hard for players to embrace. Given that the OPUS titles have never hesitated to mix together artistry and higher-concept stories, I suppose that Prism Peak is perfectly on-brand then.

Playing as Eugene, a middle-aged man who has lost everything and is feeling at his bottom rung, after an accident on the way to your grandfather’s funeral, your unusual journey begins. Awakening in a foreign place called the Dusklands, it takes a little time to get your bearings, both as the player and your character in the game. This is a land where apparently animals can communicate with you, and you end up paired with a young girl who claims she has no memories, looking for help in getting back to her home on Dusk Mountain. Right at the beginning you really just need to go along for the ride, and let the various aspects of the game reveal themselves to you, but it can absolutely be a little confusing as you try to wrap your arms around a variety of in-game systems.

The primary driver of your experience revolves around your camera, with a specific thematic focus of the game being your ability to truly see and capture the world around you. At first that will challenge you to identify what you encounter is worth capturing, but thankfully there are firebowls in the locations you visit that will help point you in the direction of different things of interest, albeit in what can be a cryptic riddle-like form. As you move on you’ll get additional gear that can be helpful, or even outright necessary to your continued progression, and some of these steps along the way like having to play with your shutter speed at times can be testing. That said, with a little patience, understanding, and persistence, it won’t usually take very long for new revelations to come to light, along with some incredible sights and meaningful story beats. If you’re looking for a quick or easy reward, this isn’t the sort of game that will give it to you. But if you’re ready to be taken on a compelling journey, and don’t mind what could be considered some stumbles along the way, it’s not quite like anything else I’ve played on the system.