As someone who grew up in the earlier days of gaming I have fond memories of challenging adventures where I’d play as an explorer in search of various treasures. Whether it was the likes of the iconic Pitfall, or one of my personal favorites Montezuma’s Revenge, the focus was traditionally more on the action side of things, though there could often be puzzle elements as well, even if more primitive. The Adventures of Elena Temple, released a number of years ago, felt like a celebration of games from that early era, and was a pleasant challenge.

The Fall of Elena Temple sticks with a generally retro look and feel, but has opted for an even more primitive look consistent with an early handheld, but more critically its focus has also shifted quite a bit. Where the original featured plenty of puzzle elements to work through as you’d move between different rooms, this sequel has shifted the balance to the other side. That makes Fall a puzzle first affair, with the action being more of a mere mechanical necessity, in service of working out how to complete each screen so you can move on to the next. 

To the game’s credit, I’m not sure there’s anything else out on the eShop quite like it, especially considering the breadth of your challenge. Rather than merely focusing on your ability to get to the exit or grab a few gems, in Fall you’ll need to be sure to grab every coin in every room, and being successful in your efforts is going to take planning and likely a bit of trial and error. The reason for this is simple, being honest it feels like Elena has lost a step, so she won’t be jumping over any gaps or extending herself to grab ledges and pull herself up. Instead, her approach will need to be more cerebral, carefully planning out which routes she can take falling down levels and then using convenient teleporters to ensure she can grab it all, then also being sure to be able to get to the exit. While this isn’t initially so challenging, new wrinkles like a teleporting crystal that will only work for the last few times you’ve fallen to a different level will be helpful, but only if you carefully plot out your path to ensure success.

I’m actually a bit on the fence about how I feel about the game, torn a bit between the fact that it’s obviously not just more of the same and the fact that the planning can get a bit tedious. If you’re someone who likes more complex puzzles, which will require you to meticulously work through each step until you’re successful, this could be a great opportunity. If, however, you’d prefer the previous title’s more action-oriented feel you could be let down.