Summary
If the game's graphics were a bit sharper and the story more fleshed out—closer to the cinematic quality of the trailer—Guayota might feel like a better value for its price at roughly $20 on Steam and $15 on Switch (this is without current sales pricing for launch). The gap between its marketing and the actual gameplay results in an experience that falls short of the hype.
Developer – Team Delusion
Publisher – Dear Villagers
Platforms – Nintendo Switch, PC (Reviewed)
Review copy given by Publisher
Inspired by the legends of the Canary Islands and Guanche mythology, Guayota tells the tale of a group of explorers dispatched by the Spanish Kingdom to seek the fabled Saint Brendan’s Island. As the protagonist, your task is to unveil the island’s hidden, darker secrets. Unfortunately, the only thing truly dark here is the game’s lack of excitement.
As previously mentioned, Guayota offers an atmospheric journey into the mythos of the Canary Islands, blending mystery and supernatural elements. The game’s trailer, released prior to launch, promised a fun experience with intriguing puzzles. However, despite the marketing team’s exceptional work in building anticipation, particularly through the trailer, the game ultimately falls short.
To begin with, the graphics in the trailer appeared slightly better to me than the actual in-game visuals. I’m not suggesting the trailer was edited to look better, just to be clear. Guayota isn’t a terrible game by any means; it simply has some minor flaws and isn’t as exciting as expected. While the graphics are decent, particularly in their depiction of the mythological elements, they don’t quite stand out. The sound design effectively complements the setting and creates moments of genuine tension. However, these aspects alone aren’t enough to lift the game above mediocrity. The gameplay mechanics, though functional, often felt clunky and lacked smoothness.
While the difficulty of the puzzles escalates with each new challenge, Guayota’s pacing is another issue that contributes to its average rating. The game struggles to maintain momentum, with long stretches of uneventful gameplay that make it hard to stay engaged. In fact, navigating and progressing through some of the levels proved more challenging than the puzzles themselves.
If the game’s graphics were a bit sharper and the story more fleshed out—closer to the cinematic quality of the trailer( seen above)—Guayota might feel like a better value for its price at roughly $20 on Steam and $15 on switch (this is without current sales pricing for launch). The gap between its marketing and the actual gameplay results in an experience that falls short of the hype.
