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Phoenix Springs review: A dazzling and disquieting sci-fi mystery

Engadget
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66% Informative

Phoenix Springs is a point-and-click mystery set in a bleak futuristic world of dramatic shadows and muted primary colors.

The game stars Iris Dormer , a technology reporter who’s searching for her estranged brother, Leo .

She narrates the on-screen action in a stoic, unaffected tone that belies the cutting poetry of her observations.

The lushness of the oasis is an immediate relief, its flowing waters, red wooden huts and vibrant natural textures highlight the sterility of the city.

Phoenix Springs is an interactive art installation that happens to use point-and-click game mechanics.

Calligram Studio’s emphasis on creating something beautiful — and then using this canvas to tell a twisted story about biohacking and familial love — is clear.

It occupies a similar territory as Kentucky Route Zero , another title that offers depressing social commentary in a visually fascinating package.