We Are Eva (PC)
While We Are Eva has a creative interdimensional platforming concept that could have been enough to draw in attention, one of the first things this game wants you to know about is its protagonist Eva. This interdimensional being can already be found speaking to the player through the Steam store page and trailer, but once you boot up the game, she’ll also be talking directly to you, her knowledge that she’s in a video game present but perhaps not coming on as strong as it does in the advertising. Instead, her occasional comments end up feeling a bit more personal, the name We Are Eva making a bit more sense when the relationship between the player and on-screen character is being emphasized in such a way.
We Are Eva doesn’t have a deep plot, but Eva does need the player’s help as she is unable to properly perceive the world she inhabits. While she can’t fully grasp the space she finds herself in, the player’s computer monitor is able to overlay the different dimensions in a single comprehensible image, Eva putting her fate in your hands as you need to help her navigate these overlapping worlds. Eva doesn’t seem too distressed about the situation though, making jokes and snide observations about the adventure while still piping up to support you if you struggle with a level or just making idle chitchat for a bit of fun. Eva’s in-game appearance is a bit basic, but the text boxes with her dialogue are granted a lot of personality thanks to some very expressive stills drawn by artist KoWolf-Blue. Eva better feels like a companion this way and her snappy dialogue is usually spaced well so she doesn’t overly distract from the action.
Every level in We Are Eva comprises of a single screen, but outside of the tutorial, there are always two versions of the level you’re in. Eva can change her color and swap between the color-coded dimensions with a button press, and at it’s simplest, navigation will involve changing realities because some platforms are only solid in one dimension or the other. However, you will be able to see both of them at once, Eva passing through any level geometry or hazard that isn’t the same color she is. It can take a bit of getting used to, it not unlikely you’ll jump towards a platform and realize too late you’re not the right color to land on it, but the early levels do give you time to get the basic dimension swapping mechanic down and help you understand elements like your wall jump and how black spaces exist within both dimensions.
Once you’ve gotten used to the already somewhat mind-bending reality hopping platforming though, We Are Eva starts to whip out dimensions with more unusual aspects. Initially there will be slight variations between the first set of dimensions you explore, Eva dropping to the ground quickly in one while she can nearly drift through the air in another. This already has some interesting platforming uses, the player sometimes needing to swap dimensions mid-jump to get the necessary height or pass through an object before quickly swapping back to avoid dropping to their doom, but later dimensions introduce major mechanics that completely shift how a level must be approached. One dimension for example leaves a deadly set of thorns in the air after the player performs a dimension swap, the player needing to be more careful and precise in when they pass between worlds. Future levels can really bend your mind though as dimensions start shaking up fundamentals to the point you will approach one half of the level with a completely different mindset than the other while constantly having to adjust how you think to clear the stage. The levels being single-screen challenges does mean it’s easy to persist even at the most advanced and mentally taxing levels, but there is some kindness to be found in how a level must be cleared. Levels contain two colored rifts, the player needing to touch at least one to open up the level exit. The rifts do have to be touched in the properly colored dimension, but if there is a tougher level stymieing your progress, you can try to just reach one rift and then make for the exit.
Unfortunately, We Are Eva does not let you just jump into previously played worlds or levels as you wish, clearing the game even meaning you’d have to restart from square one, but the single-screen level setup does mean We Are Eva can be cleared in just a few hours despite comprising of over 100 levels, the play brisk but the length is somewhat dependent on how well you handle the world swapping mechanic and different dimensional gimmicks. We Are Eva does seem to encourage multiple playthroughs with achievements and leaderboards, the player’s stats like how many rifts they claim, how many deaths they experience, and how many goblin archers and wizards they kill along the way tracked so players can try to optimize their performance. Interestingly enough though, there is a different approach to replayability on even a single stage basis, as a level design is not wholly consistent between attempts.
When Eva dies in a level, either by touching the borders of the screen, running into a hazard, or getting attacked by one of the small range of enemy types, the level will instantly restart but with some slight changes applied to its design. A wall that wasn’t there before might now block a jumping route or a goblin that was pestering you could be absent. Usually, there is a price for any added convenience or removed danger, some new obstacle slotted in to ensure the level won’t be a cakewalk, and perhaps most importantly, the general challenge of a level remains consistent. Some parts are always consistent or change in mild, almost inconsequential ways, so the overall stage has a clear crafted concept but the smaller details can shift around. This interesting bit of lightly randomized difficulty makes repeat attempts of a stage feel less fruitless as you might find the level a little more accommodating after a death, although you can also have the inverse where a mistake leaves you with a level design that is less favorable. Killing yourself repeatedly to get a nice layout doesn’t feel too necessary either because of the subtle touch in mixing things up and the toughest levels will never end up becoming a breeze thanks the intelligent choices in what can and cannot be altered.
THE VERDICT: While a bit on the short side, We Are Eva’s amusing protagonist and mind-bending dimension-swapping platforming come together into a brisk but entertaining experience with a solid set of creative shake-ups. Shifting level designs ever so slightly on each attempt helps ease some frustration when the trickier dimension combos are at play and the different factors you need to account for while swapping between them make even the simpler levels still feel like a decent challenge. A heartier experience could have lead to more interesting iterations and maybe fleshed out Eva’s story more, but her personality already makes her a likable companion to join you in tackling the tricky dimensional mechanics that keep the game entertaining from start to finish.
And so, I give We Are Eva for PC…
A GOOD rating. While having 100+ levels sounds like a lot, We Are Eva is quicker to complete than that number might imply. I was able to run through the game twice and didn’t end up hitting four hours of playtime total, but even going through a second time didn’t seem to dull the challenge or the charm. Even when a dimension is a concept that should sound irritating like the red dimension being entirely dark save for the small area of light around Eva, its interplay with the other dimension you’re swapping into during that level makes it manageable and a unique twist to how the action unfolds. You need to consider both sets of physics and mechanics at play but even at their most unusual it still feels surmountable because the levels are small in size and their minor random elements feel purposeful as well. The concept shifts at play are all sound and the game is accommodating through its two rift system but manages to make grabbing both in every level feel like an attainable challenge. A few little elements may fluctuate in the moment and be a touch frustrating, but they do feel fully considered so no combination of variables or dimensions feels flimsy or incompatible. The speed with which you can progress also means you won’t have to stew in some of the more demanding dimension mixes for too long, but We Are Eva does feel like it doesn’t properly build up to its ending so it can feel a touch abrupt. The story is slight enough that you don’t feel denied any closure or anything, but it’s hard not to want more to do. Eva is an appealing protagonist and going through additional imaginative dimensions with her could have sustained a longer experience even without drastic shakeups to the game’s existing formula.
Perhaps a more robust sequel or even just a expanded edition with more stages could assuage some of the feeling that the game ends too quickly, but We Are Eva still makes good use of the time you spend with it. The dimension concepts work together well, and Eva’s contributions feel spaced well that any time she does speak up you’re always interested to see what she has to say. Putting aside any price considerations, We Are Eva provides entertaining brain-bending action that handles every included element with a deft touch, its creativity easily appreciated because it never goes overboard or underdelivers despite some concepts like the slightly shifting level designs sounding like they would be shaky ground.