Developer: Gardenfiend Games
Platforms: macOS, PC (Reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Action, Adventure
Publisher: Soedesco
Perennial Order is a 2D plant horror boss rush game. The game was developed by Gardenfiend Games and published by Soedesco. Perennial Order is similar to other titles like Furiand and Titan Souls. The following review is based on the PC version, but the game is also available for Xbox, PlayStation, and macOS.
Perennial Order is a local/online co-op (2-player) game set in a Dark Age plagued by nature-infested horrors. The premise of the game is to rid your character, a Perennial Knight, of the terror and evil that haunts the beautiful garden you possess. You’ve been brought back to life, and your purpose is to kill everything that seeks to destroy the living in your world. As you begin this bloody journey, you are infused with a Birchwood Stinger, which serves as the sword you’ll use to take down several enemies.
The controls for Perennial Order are simple to get used to. When starting the game, it is recommended to play with a controller, and I found that using a controller made the gameplay much smoother compared to using a keyboard and mouse. The game begins with you breaking out of what seems like a cocoon to embark on a bloody expedition. As you start to explore the eerie and dark garden, keybinds and mechanics are explained through in-game pop-ups. The most important mechanic in this game is the “one-hit death.” This truly sets the level of difficulty that Perennial Order has to offer, requiring you to strategize your attacks and be wary of enemies’ attack patterns.
The art style of Perennial Order is dark and surreal, with visuals that contribute to the immersive atmosphere. I was initially shocked by how the music almost contrasts the vibe set by the visuals. The music starts off whimsical and fantasy-like, only to be interrupted by dreary cutscenes. I love the minimalist lighting in the game, where the main sources of light are your companion wisps and sudden lightning strikes. The gloomy atmosphere embodied in the game is breathtaking, as it seems to be hand-drawn and paper-like with 3D elements. The character mumbling is a cute sound effect that adds a different charm to the game. Although the world may seem barren, it is filled with several interactable NPCs that help unfold the story and assist you on your journey. The character and boss designs are fascinating and hard to describe because each is crafted to look unique. Some appear scary and gory, while others possess a sense of warmth yet still seem a bit dreadful.
Now, I’m not someone who typically plays boss rush games, and trying something new through Perennial Order was quite fun. At first, I found that I enjoyed the game much more while playing with someone else, as it allowed us to counterattack alternatively instead of having to face the bosses alone. This made battling the bosses less difficult, even though the challenge increased from boss to boss. The game does justice to the boss rush genre because as you traverse the gloomy world, you’ll often encounter a boss without realizing it. We played this game locally, and the experience went smoothly. Communication while playing with someone else is necessary, as you need to make sure everything is accurately timed when the boss attacks. We did not test the game in online mode, but I am confident it would work just as well and allow you to play with anyone else.
One aspect I found enjoyable was the attack mechanic. At times, the attack mechanic could lead to your downfall, as a charge bar needs to be timed to deliver an efficient blow. However, once you get the hang of using it properly, it helps you defeat bosses more quickly. The game definitely challenges players to master its mechanics and may lead to a few deaths while learning the bosses’ attack patterns. The bosses also varied in how they attacked and the number of “waves” they employed. I loved encountering the various bosses and getting surprised by the halfway rage mark. After a certain point, players might start to rage because the slightest mishap could cost their lives. One thing I didn’t like as much was the absence of health bars for the bosses, but I assume this adds to the game’s challenging nature. Defeating bosses was a great way to level up your sword infused with instincts, which provided additional buffs to deal more damage. Additionally, the creativity behind some of the boss battles was surprising, keeping players engaged as they faced one boss after another. For instance, one of my favourite bosses was the Chess Piece, which forced you to think outside the box and play as if it were a real game of chess.
Aside from the action-packed battles, traversing through the gloomy world, which has a similar dark visual palette, sometimes made it difficult to backtrack. The colour palette was very similar from area to area, with only slight differences that provided clues to help players progress. As you explore, you can learn about the horrors that the overgrowth has inflicted on the garden and document them in your notebook. It’s a great way to understand what really happened and how each element affects the people. Despite this challenge, Perennial Order does an excellent job of creating a testing environment for players.
Perennial Order is a 2D boss rush game where players embark on a reckless journey, either alone or with someone else, to confront the challenging bosses overrun by the horrors of the world. You encounter demanding, unique bosses that require you to strategize your attacks to avoid the “one-hit death.” Perennial Order excels at creating a chaotic battle experience where you need to be aware of attacks from all sides. Take on the journey to meet NPCs who bestow knowledge upon you, and try to banish the lurking horrors in the world. Therefore, be sure to check out Perennial Order!
Overall: 8/10
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