From the ashes of the original, short-lived Tomorrow Children, Phoenix Edition is aptly named. It is largely the same game from 2016, but ditches the free-to-play structure, introduces new features, and refocuses on gameplay.
For more details, read our review of Tomorrow Children. You’re supposed to rescue what remains of humanity in the Void by finding matryoshka dolls, restoring them in your town, and rebuilding society with your resources. In spite of the great presentation and interesting co-op gameplay, the game felt too slow, rigid, and obtuse. This is all true for Phoenix Edition as well, but efforts to smooth things out make it easier to recommend.
You’ll get a better grasp of the basics, new tools like grappling hooks and Void powers make exploring the islands easier, and progress generally moves more quickly. When enough players touch certain monoliths, the game will expand the area, providing more resources. Playing it in backwards compatibility on PS5 looks great and runs perfectly at 60 frames-per-second. The best part is peer-to-peer online play and offline mode, negating the threat of another server shutdown.
Sadly, the game’s problems go much deeper. The gameplay is stiff, dull, and unclear at times. Inventory space is a constant headache. It’s hard work to build up your town, which is probably intentional, but it isn’t very fun — especially when giant monsters unceremoniously destroy it. Fighting back isn’t particularly satisfying, either, and can feel futile. Phoenix Edition makes many improvements to the overall experience, but its cold, repetitive core holds it back, despite its collaborative, common goal nature.
Pros:
Concept is great.
Building towns together.
The presentation was good.
Small improvements.
Cons:
Rigid gameplay.
Inconsistent goals.
Dealing with enemies.
This game gets a 6 out of 10.
