The WhatsNext verdict
Sayonara Umihara Kawase is a brilliant niche platformer built around one of the most distinctive movement systems of its era. Play it if mastering strange physics and chasing elegant routes sounds more appealing than a forgiving adventure.
What it does best
A fishing line becomes an astonishing movement instrument
Improvement is visible in every successful run
Platforming routes become elegant physics puzzles
What might put you off
Severe difficulty and restart friction
An initially opaque physics system
The setup
What you are walking into
Umihara Kawase is a series of platform games, starring a nineteen-year-old Japanese school girl (Kawase Umihara), who has somehow become lost in a world of mutated salt-water and fresh-water creatures. The Umihara Kawase games' main distinction are their tranquil fish and bird infested worlds and the rope physics, which defines the gameplay. This is the third game of the series.
Where it lives
Genre
Vibe
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