There are some games you come across the just satisfy in a way you didn’t know you wanted. That scratch an itch you didn’t know you had. It wasn’t too long ago that I finally played through Grim Fandango, an afterlife game who’s world and characters charmed me beyond what the gameplay alone could do. The Holy Gosh Darn reminded me of that feeling.
A puzzle platformer with Metroid-Vania elements (for whatever that means these days,) The Holy Gosh Darn doesn’t play like Manny Calavera’s adventures, but the world, the logic, the characters, and the way the plot unfolds feels a lot like it. Your objectives seem clear off the bat, but bit by bit they grow murkier and murkier. Trust me, that’s a good thing. And as part of a trilogy of completely different games, if you like the world, there’s more out there to explore (like Manual Samuel!)
If you like irreverence, there’s something here. If you’re down for foul-mouthed angels (and strangely clean-mouthed demons,) you’ll find plenty here. And mostly, if you’re okay with some interesting exploration of the rules of Heaven and God, The Holy Gosh Darn has an engrossing world for you to explore.
The Holy Gosh Darn is available on Steam for $19.99
Story – Doing the Lord’s Work
You take on the role of Cassiel of Celerity (that means quickness!) a slacker angel who curses and likes to get high. But can you blame her? All she and her friend Puriel have to do all day is play “Guess that Dawg” while watching the goodest boys enter Heaven. Not a human in sight. Nothing to do. But then a rush of Phantoms (apparently resulting from an earlier game in the trilogy) storm the gate, threatening to destroy Heaven itself unless you procure … The Holy Gosh Darn!
With the help of your BFF Death, you’re tasked with rewinding the day over and over again. This means talking to people, learning things, and going back time. Utilization of that knowledge is essential as you backtrack. Through it all you’ll cheat at games, expose secrets, and visit the seediest places in Heaven, Hell, Earth, and Helheim.
I don’t want to delve too deep into the story, but trust me when I say The Holy Gosh Darn will keep you guessing. Just when the plot starts to make sense, Perfectly Paranormal throws a new wrench in the works. You play games with nerds, hot wire a bus, and insult a lot of heavenly elders – all in the name of saving Heaven, of course! Packed with references and cameos from Perfectly Paranormal’s other games, there is plenty to hold your attention and plenty to unravel.
It’s a little like Groundhog Day, but with more cursing and less Bill Murray.
Gameplay – The Definition of Insanity
The same thing over and over. And yes, you get different results. The primary mechanics for this game are rolling back time and chatting with people. The world moves on with or without you in The Holy Gosh Darn, so if you need to be somewhere at 2:30 and Biblical Eagle Creature won’t stop yapping, sometimes you gotta be a bit rude. It’s okay, though, because even if he’s cross at you for yelling at him, one little turn on your clock and you have another chance to endear yourself to him.
Over the course of the game you’ll grow the time piece’s abilities. Things like bringing items back into the past, making “save points” that allow you to return to a specific point in time, and many more are waiting. And for every major advance you make in the game, Little Miss Of Celerity gains more of her grace back. This allows her to run faster, jump, dash with her wings, and more! Very handy when you’re trying to get from one side of Heaven to the other before an elder being passes out.
Lastly, on top of mastering everything else, you’ll need to make sure you optimize your runs. A bit like The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, everyone in this game has their own schedule. So if you need to be at Heaven’s DMV at 1pm with all your forms filled out and your ID, make sure you move efficiently. Nothing is worse than realizing you missed your window by an inch and no number of rewinds will fix that run.
There’s also a slew of one-off minigames, so be prepared for everything from troubleshooting to whack-a-mole.
Graphics & Audio – Charming and Endearing
I adore the art style in this game. It’s a bit messy, it’s a bit rubber-hose, but most of all it’s charming. Cassiel and Puriel have such good character designs. In fact, the casual look of most everyone in The Holy Gosh Darn is really it’s own way of storytelling. The colors are vibrant. The background artwork is lovely when it isn’t hilarious. Overall, I just really dig the vibes.
Music-wise, I still have the main theme playing in my head. That’s likely because they remix it for other, atmospheric uses throughout the game. The voice acting is charming. The in-world music feels silly and appropriate. It’s not winning any Grammys, but it does its job right: building tension without making a nuisance of itself.
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- Once you learn new info, you can always utilize it to speed up future runs.
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- Some days nothing happens. Others, ethereal phantoms appear bent on the destruction of Heaven.
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- Get used to pulling this thing up ALL the time.
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- Find Heavenly Elders! Insult them! Save Heaven!
The Holy Gosh Darn was reviewed on PC (Steam) with a key provided by Perfectly Paranormal.
