We played Kioku: Last Summer and reminisced about carefree summer vacations.

Kioku: Last Summer is a 3D adventure indie game developed by the Norwegian independent studio Lugn Games and published by Assemble Entertainment. This game has been available since the end of last month on Steam, and we must say that it has very good optimization for handheld devices. Stepping into the shoes of Asti, a wide-eyed young girl who has just moved to the remote, fictional island of Kioku with her father, players experience a charming life experience that encompasses the bittersweet magic of youth. Set on an island inspired by Scandinavian-Japanese style from the early 2000s, the game skillfully reflects the slow, exploratory pace of childhood, providing a deeply enjoyable escape from the standard video games of today that demand much more concentration and attention than this game.

Asti immediately introduces herself to her new classmates upon arriving on the island before the summer holidays begin. She doesn't have to worry about summer jobs but instead enjoys the freedom of childhood. Together with Tono, Lyra, and Boom, she explores the island, experiencing many small adventures and childhood activities that I am sure most of you older readers experienced in your own childhood. For the younger ones reading us who haven't, it may serve as inspiration for the upcoming summer!

In the game, you progress through days where you have specific tasks to complete. Here lies a small drawback in that sometimes it is not clear enough what needs to be done as the next step for the story to continue. You always have a certain note on what to do, but sometimes it is so general that it wouldn't hurt to specify a bit better what is expected of you. Kioku: Last Summer certainly does one thing perfectly. It creates summer joy. With beautiful, albeit repetitive music, you play and explore things on a charming island that has truly found a lovely balance between Norwegian and Japanese.

The game offers some of its own mini-games. The biggest and most important is Marubi, a game with marbles mixed with Pokémon. Here you collect small monsters in the shape of marbles and use them in a board battle where you use three marbles at once and must crush your opponent. For our region, the easiest comparison is with franje (other names depending on the area in Croatia: špigule, pikse, šćinke, frenje, frnje, špeke). Other games include a fishing game where you can catch crabs wherever there are bubbles in the water, as well as bike racing, which has quite simple controls.

In one part of the game, practically right on the first day, you sneak onto a guarded estate with your new friends to steal apples. Many of you will immediately be taken back to childhood as this was also done with cherries.

The island of Kioku is a carefully crafted world that combines Northern European geography with Japanese cultural details. Players can explore 8 unique zones, including:

• town and pier: the heart of the island's social life

• mountain and forest: darker, more mysterious areas for those who dare to wander

• sanctuary: the spiritual center that holds the island's oldest secrets

Exploration is designed to be meditative. Whether you are racing down winding paths or biking through apple orchards, the game prioritizes the "joy of discovery" over high-stress objectives. The soundtrack, with gentle sounds of waves lapping and summer crickets, completes the impressively "healing" experience.

KEY FEATURES:

🏝️ Exploration: Wander as Asti through a pleasant open island full of secrets, shortcuts, and surprises

🦀 Mini-games: Catch crabs, battle in Marubi, and enjoy this childhood summer of the 2000s

🤝 Locals: Meet unforgettable locals, build friendships, and shape your summer story

📸 Memories: Capture moments and relive your adventure through in-game photos

⛩️ Japandi: Discover a world that combines Japanese and Scandinavian charm

The game has plenty of collectibles and you have the freedom to explore the island at your own pace, regardless of the story. In conclusion, Kioku: Last Summer is a sweet, pleasant, and charming game. It fulfills exactly those three things. However, it doesn't offer much more. The whole thing feels somewhat aimless. It can be fun just to explore the summer island, but when you feel like you need to think hard and wander while searching for a new mission, you quickly see this as a serious drawback. The game has serious potential, and with just a few bug fixes and a better-designed story, this has the potential to be a must-play game.