A bittersweet puzzle game about finding your place in the world

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Antivine is a narrative-focused puzzle platformer that manages to find the sweet spot between touching and challenging. Set in a world where people grow branches on their bodies, Antivine follows a young boy named Senhsua he tries to make sense of who he is and where he belongs. When he meets a little girl named Mumei, the two of them begin to work together to solve puzzles and overcome the obstacles in front of them.

Even though Antivine's translation is a little clunky, I thought its story was sweet, and I had no trouble figuring out the basics of its gameplay. Most of Antivine's puzzles revolve around two mechanics: rotating the screen so you can see things from a new perspective, and having one character stand on a platform so that another character can reach a new location.

There were definitely a few moments when Antivine's puzzles felt frustrating—like a puzzle where rotating my screen too far could cause characters to drown—but if I put my phone down for a while, I usually could figure out what to do next. Even when I did fail, I didn't lose any real progress, making it a relaxing experience overall.

Not only does Antivine feel cozy, but each puzzle follows clearly defined rules, so when you find a solution to a puzzle you've been strugging with, it feels very satisfying. The full version of the game has around three hours worth of puzzles, and every one of them feels distinct.

After you complete a puzzle that's around the forty minute mark, Antivine will prompt you to pay for the game if you want to continue the adventure. Personally, this is my preferred method for sampling premium games. It's ad-free and provides a solid sample of its gameplay so that players can decide if it's right for them.

If you love puzzles, heartwarming stories, and beautiful visuals, you should definitely check out the free version to see if you want to play more.