Sonki's Lagoon

Better than I expected, feels like a genuine 3D platformer from like 1996, maybe the maps would be a little smaller on the old consoles, but otherwise feels like a faithful retro game, even going for that cerebral aesthetic which was kinda trendy at a time. It's not too short considering the price, you can get 5+ hours out of it, I decided not to finish it just yet because the achievements are not active at the moment, I probably could do everything under 10 if I really wanted to. I figured it was more like a "go fast" linear experience, but it's not really the case, the game is closer to an open world collectathon with progression based power-ups, challenges, meeting weird characters, and and just messing around as you try to navigate the world. The game feels a little stiff, maybe I could attribute part of it to the retro charm and I assume it's partially intentional, but I don't feel like the steering is perfect, I think you could go for a more romanticized version of it, and just give a little more control for the player, maybe 10-15% more flexibility, I often find myself overjumping when I come off the rails at the high speed. The level design is definitely the highlight of the game, very good use of verticality and making you feel like you constantly riding a roller coaster, feels like a 3D sonic game a lot of the time, just not a crappy one. Thematically there is a lot of variety, every location has some unusual use of architecture, they look great from the distance and fun to play when you actually get to them, so the game always feels exciting when you find a new area. Also good use of indoor and open locations, the game has some nice pacing changes and it never really gets repetitive on the design. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3740959038 (I feel like the game just screams "explore me", it's like a lowpoly wet dream, one of better games that I came across that captures that edgy/colorful vibe of the era, very alluring moving around and mastering the lines) [h1]Pros: [/h1] (+) The stages really stand out, not just when it comes to capturing the aesthetic, but also navigating them, always feeling like you finding a cool area to explore, and getting that escapism as you riding up and down at cool angles. (+) Very funky 90s cerebral vibes, uncanny without being cringe, I think the game has some neat themes, I like the fish based speed indicator, showing you different animals based on how fast you moving. (+) I tend to like most of the music in games weirdly enough, but sometimes it is exceptional, and the soundtrack in this game is catchy as ****. (+) Decent on content, for the price anyway [h1]Feedback: [/h1] [u]Bugs:[/u] - I assume there is something wrong with the Kroc AI, at first they were limited to the flat surface of the sewer, now they chasing me around the game while flying in the air, in other areas too. Not really sure how I broke it, possibly backtracking or teleport glitches that messed up the area checkpoints. - not really a glitch, but I think the game should remember which challenges you completed and which buttons you already pressed - sometimes if you move during teleports, it will place you somewhere else, also clicking during loading can crush the game - the UFO quest didn't register for me when I reloaded the game, maybe because of the teleport glitch, I had to do it twice - game has noticeable lag in bigger locations, I assume it's you indulging in nice visibility on a giant map, but I don't know [u]Features: [/u] - I think you could loosen the controls just a little with the side movement, and maybe make it easier to control the character jumping off the rails, it's very easy to jump over the platforms - some type of limited way point system might be useful, it does not have to be like a free for all, go anywhere you want, maybe just some shortcuts for explored areas so you don't have to cross the entire world [b]Overall Thoughts: EA 6/9/2026 [/b] You already getting a pretty nice game for the price, if you like old platformers this is one of the nicer games that I played. It has a few temporary issues, it didn't have working achievements when I played (next big update), it has some lag, it has occasional glitches and the controls need a little work.. But as far as the actual game design, this is pretty on point, with a little polish it could be a fantastic collectathon for 5-8 hours maybe. [code]Niche, obscure and underrated games: http://store.steampowered.com/curator/31294838-Hidden-Gem-Discovery/

Game is really sick. That's all i need to say.

Absolute blast, worth every penny. GO BUY.

Great game ! The first zone gives you enough time to master the speedy controls and then you'll do even more tricks !

I took a bit of a gamble on this game, but it was hella worth it, super quirky and entertaining platformer. bugs and Qol things could be added/fixed: the sewer level has an issue with walls and phasing through them, a list of all little johnnies with names/ hints to help you find them would be nice, I struggled on the gold car little johnny as it was unclear, finally railgrinding had issues, particularly in the sewers, it worked fine everywhere else I'm pretty sure. Overall 8/10 in the current state, I wish the achievements were obtainable for those who have already 100% the game, cheers!

unfortunately runs like ♥♥♥♥ on steamdeck as of now, but as updates keep rolling out i’ll come back and keep checking and adjust review

High adrenaline, low cortisol, immaculate vibes. Give it a try!

Oh, to be a weird penguin/manta hybrid and speed around looking for suns on the lagoon.

dude it's me sonki

super fun, one of the only games to make me laugh to myself while playing