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Sights & Sounds

Exactly as expected

Let's cut to the chase. In the vast majority of cases, you're not playing an RPG Maker game because it looks amazing or unique
Sure, there exist some noteworthy exceptions like OMORI or Suits, but this is not one of those games
And really, that's just fine. If you've made it to the point that you're considering playing Finding Paradise, you've accepted that this franchise looks like what it looks like and you're here for the story
Conversely, you can always count on this series to be accompanied by some really impressive piano. The music in these games is a treat
Sometimes the scoring is a little heavy-handed in emotional cueing (like in its predecessors), but RPG Maker sprites aren't exactly rich canvasses for conveying how a character feels. I'm completely fine with this compromise due to the quality of the soundtrack
I'm not sure why, but the cartoonish stock sound effects are kind of endearing


Story & Vibes

What you're really here for

After playing To the Moon, I was fully hooked by the ethically ambiguous sci-fi concept behind travelling into the dreams of the dying to delude them into believing some self-fulfilling but false fantasy so they can perish peacefully
Even the mini episodes were pretty good, adding further flavor and lore to the world along with the characters inhabiting it
A Bird Story, while notable for trying to switch up the pace, stumbled between cloyingly saccharine and clumsily maudlin
So, despite some uncertainty about how this entry would play out, I'm happy to report that Finding Paradise is a return to form and the best game I've played in the franchise so far
As before, we join Drs. Watts and Rosalene on another morally questionable Make-a-Wish facsimile, this time for a former pilot named Colin Reeds. They weren't initially signed to his case, but for mysterious reasons, Dr. Watts is all too eager to fill in
Things begin to go off the rails from the get-go. The equipment is having issues, the client doesn't even know what the hell his wish is, and it soon becomes apparent that a mysterious and unexpected force is lurking in Colin's psyche
Explaining much further would be giving way too much of the plot, but the overarching mystery surrounding Colin's wish mixed with the feeling that there's something out to get you makes for some pretty exciting plot points as you delve into his past
There is still a healthy serving of silliness on the table, but it's a much smaller portion than in To the Moon. Tastes will vary on how you feel about that change. For my own part, I appreciated that they didn't feel it necessary to send in the clowns to mop up audience tears after every dour story development
Just as an additional note, despite the direct connection to A Bird Story, it isn't necessary (nor, in my opinion, advisable) to play that game in order to enjoy Finding Paradise to the fullest
The connection between the two titles seems like it was intended as some sort of twist, but it really doesn't pan out that way in practice. It doesn't take some sort of mastermind to put 2 and 2 together within the first 30 minutes or so


Playability & Replayability

No surprises

Like in To the Moon, you hop from memory to memory in the client's mind to unearth secrets about their past, figure out what needs to be done to alter their memory, and leave before they kick the bucket
Navigating between these memory nodes is done by viewing whatever plot point you were meant so see (sometimes punctuated by a puzzle or minigame), then finding some form of totemic object that will allow you to progress to the next one
It's a simple formula, but an effective enough vehicle for the narrative. The occasional distractions that change up the gameplay inject just enough variety to keep the experience engaging, which can be a challenge in a story-focused adventure game like this
Not really sure there's a reason to replay. Looking forward to trying Imposter Factory, though


Overall Impressions & Performance

Back on course

I did find it a little interesting that there's a plot beat in which the creator seems to be addressing common criticisms with A Bird Story. If that was indeed the intent, it seems like the dev heard it
Their response in that segment seems to be along the lines of "I suppose I should accept that some stories are personal and meant to be treasured rather than shared"
If that is the intent, I'm not sure I'm sold on that being the right message to take home, but the explanation was at least appreciated
This game is meant to be played with a mouse and keyboard, but works just fine on the Steam Deck with community mappings


Final Verdict

- 8.0/10. It's roughly the same experience as To the Moon, just with some extra narrative spice owing to the ramped up intrigue and a better mystery throughline. Easily worth a playthrough if you enjoyed that game