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In Paradise Marsh, I haven't moved for several minutes. My exploration of the calming wetland in developer Étienne Trudeau's adventure has led to a patch of dark clouds, where rain begins to fall. I take a prolonged pause to soak up the sounds of the drops hitting the ground, followed by gentle cracks of thunder. Right here, in the peaceful, picturesque setting of this delightful indie gem, I find myself slowing right down and enjoying the ambient sounds and colorful scenery that surrounds me. When I get my fill of the soothing rainfall, I continue to venture across the unending and ever-changing landscape to see what else it holds for me.
Paradise Marsh is a wonderful, short and sweet experience that has so much to offer than first meets the eye. The landscapes of the marsh provide a place for contemplation, relaxation, and experimentation - with lots of little discoveries to make, secrets to uncover, and critters to find. And while you do have an overall aim, there are no time limits or objectives dictating the time you spend in the wetland. What you do and how long you take is entirely up to you.
Critters and constellations
Paradise Marsh begins as stars fall from the night sky and scatter across the wetland. With the stars now absent, the constellations above are in need of some help. In order to restore the stars to the sky, I have to catch a variety of different insects and amphibians that call the marsh home. Each critter belongs to a certain constellation that has a set amount of stars that need to be restored, and the number of stars correlates to the amount of a particular critter I need to catch in order to complete that constellation.
The constellations all have their own personalities to go along with the critter they represent, too. Each time you restore a star, you get the chance to actually speak to the constellation and learn more about them as you help them return to the sky. Listening to what each had to say was easily one of the biggest highlights, since I often found myself contemplating their words afterward.
A notebook in the game's menu acts as a sort of collection log that helps me keep track of each bug or frog friend I find and how many I need. All of the dedicated page for each critter also includes a charming little illustration, along with a description and some facts to accompany it. Every wildlife resident of the marsh emits a unique sound that signals they can be found nearby, and it's up to me to see where it's coming from.
With my trusty bug catcher in hand, it often pays to be patient when it comes to approaching a critter to successfully collect it; if you're not careful, you can scare them off. From steadily sneaking up behind frogs, to inching closer to tadpoles and quickly swinging over a bee, it's not long before my collection grows. Once a critter is caught, it can be sent up into the sky as a star for a constellation.
Paradise found
What makes the experience so magical, though, is the way the marsh is unending. As you make your way through it, the landscapes change as though you're stepping through the seasons, with different environments that come to life with beautiful pops of color and ambient sounds. One minute, I'm walking through a veritable winter wonderland with blankets of snow covering the marsh, and snowmen dotted around that I can decorate. Then, as I move on, I find myself in a setting that brings to mind the spring season, with dreamy, pretty pink trees that sit against the warming soft glow of an early sunrise. The beautiful scenery and sound design of the changing landscapes really make the marsh a place I want to get lost in.
There's also so much to see and discover beyond collecting the critters that inhabit Paradise Marsh. Experimenting in the world to see what can be interacted with is a real joy, with lots of objects and secrets in the wetland to play around with and discover. Various birds can be encountered in the changing environments who will share poems; each one evoking a different feeling or reflection. And with a procedurally generated world, the layout of the wetland also changes every time you return to the game, which keeps the sense of discovery alive.
We all need a space to get lost in, and the world of Paradise Marsh is the perfect place to do just that. The small adventure leaves a lasting impression, with wonderful scenery, delightful critters, and fantastic sound design from Disasterpeace that creates a relaxing atmosphere. If you're looking for something to kick back and play on a cozy afternoon, Paradise Marsh is waiting for you.
Paradise Marsh is out now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
