Fall of Porcupine (2023)

If it gets patched and put on sale, I'd say go for Fall of Porcupine, as it's informative and memorable. But this charming, albeit short game with a lot of heart put into it deserves better than the bugs it has. I don't think I can recommend it in its current state. The worse patient Fall of Porcupine needs to cure is itself!

Fall of Porcupine is a delightful narrative adventure game on the Nintendo Switch that takes players on an odd little journey through the town of Porcupine. With anthropomorphic animal characters, charming graphics, and immersive gameplay it fits snugly into the ‘cozy’ game category and feels so at home on the Switch. Despite this, Fall of Porcupine is a thought-provoking exploration of themes such as loss and the challenges of modern healthcare. It never shy’s away from heavy conversation topics.

Fall of Porcupine does capture a small part of the experience of working in healthcare, and it does feel relatable in some respects. The game also explores the complexity of the relationship between people and the healthcare system, as well as the issues that are faced. The story and characters are well portrayed, with the music and artwork also being a highlight. However, there are some bugs that need medicating, along with some more concrete conclusions on some plot threads.

With time and with patches, it’s easy to imagine it becoming a game worth playing, but it’s definitely not at that stage yet.

Fall of Porcupine takes you on an emotional journey and touches on some real issues found in the health care system. Not everything is perfect as the story can get a bit messy and rushed in places and there are some technical issues as well that will hopefully be ironed out.