Finding Paradise

I was a little concerned that Freebird Games wouldn’t be able to recapture the magic of To the Moon with this sequel. I will not be doubting them in the future. Finding Paradise is every bit as emotionally resonant as its predecessor, continuing a pattern of fully rounded characters and wonderfully entertaining dialogue. Impressively, it also connects beautifully with its rather unspectacular prelude, A Bird Story. The surprise of an RPG Maker title being something more than a pedestrian RPG has of course worn off by now, but the premise is approached from a different angle and taken in a radically different direction that allows it to stay fresh.

It actually seems to try too hard in that regard, introducing janky mechanics that don’t go anywhere – sometimes as a joke, and sometimes seemingly out of hesitance to fully divorce from traditional gameplay. Additionally, several important plot threads turn out to be merely sequel hooks built on the small sequel hook of the last game. As a result, it feels like everything outside of the main plot is somewhat incomplete, but thankfully, the main plot is enough to warrant a recommendation on its own.