The saying “There’s no smoke without fire” rings true in this Slavic folklore-filled fantasy adventure. Playing as an Asher – a fire mage able to see and alter memories of the past – you’re tasked with restoring the timeline, ergo altering the fate, of an entire village. This is achieved by trekking across the Finnish countryside to connect to bonfires and peer into billowing smoke trails. If there’s ever smoke on the horizon, that’s the sign of a past event that only you have the power to change, with each completed puzzle weakening the fiery phoenix that put the village on a doomed course.
The End of the Sun’s opening sequence is something of an information overdose. In the space of around two minutes, it explains the controls, introduces two key characters – a young couple hoping to spend eternity together – and establishes the basics of the plot. From this point you’re then left to figure out both how to trigger events and progress the storyline, strolling around the picturesque countryside while collecting backstory expanding notes and hand drawn illustrations. This makes for quite the confusing introduction, in my case resulting in the first puzzle sequence taking three times as long to figure out than the rest. But while not immediately accessible, after around an hour everything did finally ‘click’ into place.
Part of this confusion is down to how unique this puzzle adventure is. It’s reasonably complex, with its means of progression a mystery until working it out for yourself. Essentially, you’re seeking bonfires that’ll trigger a memory of the past, all of which are ill-fated. Once connected to a bonfire, you’re bound to a small area in which all the puzzle elements are contained within – although there are a couple of instances when it’s essential to exit and return with a key item…such as a key. These events all involve the humble village folk – a cast of returning characters, including a mother and child, plus a fellow Asher who dabbles with mind-altering mushrooms – and have three fated timelines to fix, indicated by smoke trails. Most entail finding missing items, while others include reading notes to complete symbol matching puzzles or simply involve relocating an object. Examples include removing a jug of alcohol from a scene to prevent an argument, unlocking a door to assist with a house fire escape, and fixing faulty wagon brakes to stop it rolling downhill.
Most puzzles only take a few minutes to solve, and there are dozens to discover. The majority can be completed as and when stumbled on while exploring the countryside, although there are a few where an item must be found elsewhere first – at which point you’ll receive a vocal prompt. The only other guidance provided comes in the form of a map that shows bonfires and areas yet to be discovered, along with a list of currently held objects. Your location isn’t marked on the map, so you’ll need to look out for certain sights, such as rivers, waterfalls, caves and the handful of houses belonging to key characters. One location is more important than the rest, as it’s part of an ongoing puzzle requiring every phoenix feather – your reward for puzzle solving – to complete. Only when every bonfire is lit can the ‘end game’ commence. You’re looking at a 6-8 hour playtime, depending on how long you want to linger in this open-ended world.
If this wasn’t enough to crack on with, The End of the Sun’s storyline is set across the four seasons. These can be switched between via a main hub. It’s an idea that adds yet another layer to its puzzle solving, as the world is partly interactable with actions performed in certain seasons impacting others. Prevent a carpenter from drowning during spring, and he’ll go on to make a bridge, giving access to a new area. Planting a seed in springtime also results in a tree growing in time for winter, which can then be pushed over to cross a gorge. During winter, the lake is also frozen – allowing it to be crossed safely – while certain seasons also see the villagers celebrating different festivals. Thankfully, you’ll be informed if an area is only accessible in a certain season, and every completed bonfire acts as a portal to the hub. There is a little bit of backtracking to endure, albeit minimal when compared to most open-world RPGs.
The End of the Sun is, unmistakably, a passion project. The developers clearly had a distinct vision for what they wanted to create and the stories waiting to be told, crafting a world filled with references to Slavic folklore. It has been in development for several years, and was seemingly made on a modest budget, which does explain the somewhat dated visuals and awkward vocal work. The open-world is more than serviceable, with little in the way of pop-up/fade-in and reasonably realistic textures, but the character models have an uncanny mannequin-esque look. Considering every event uses unique animations, it’s excusable. In time, I did grow quite fond of its eccentric cast, witnessing their various struggles and revelations upon changing their fates for the better. There’s also a little bit of humour present while appeasing a house ghost, and later during a psychedelic mushroom fuelled sequence.
My experience with The End of the Sun went from initial confusion and scoffing at the vocal work to being wholly engrossed in saving the village, all while enjoying its picturesque countryside views. As it’s unique in terms of structure, it does feel rather unconventional initially, only to eventually reveal itself as a pleasingly non-linear adventure that doesn’t pander, letting you work things out for yourself. The final sequence could have done with a pointer though, essentially requiring a trek to a location visited around the halfway point and never mentioned again. Mild confusion aside, I think this would appeal to those who enjoyed The Forgotten City and similar time looping adventures, as well as humble passion projects as a whole. Using limited resources, the developers have successfully managed to weave an intriguing story with a satisfying conclusion. Playing a non-linear puzzle adventure that allows you to piece its story together at your own pace is rather refreshing.
Developed by The End of the Sun Team, The End of the Sun launches 21st April on PS5 via IMGN.PRO. It first released on PC in 2025.