I am going to continue with the narrative theme this week and I think I found a good one. I played the demo in a previous Steam Nextfest, and it was recently just released. Let us delve into the exhausted body and mind of the underappreciated healthcare worker this week with Fall of Porcupine!

Fall of Porcupine is a narrative game from Critical Rabbit developed by Assembled Entertainment. The game was released in June 2023 for the PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC and retails for $20.

Contrary to the demo, Fall of Porcupine continues the story from the prologue. Finley, our favorite pigeon junior doctor, has recovered from his accident. Fall of Porcupine doesn’t stumble when introducing the intricacies of an unhealthy healthcare system. From inadequate staffing, insufficient funding, and internal quarrels to public perception of doctors, St. Ursula’s Hospital covers everything. It is all very relevant. Most of the time the story plays out like a comedy show as Finley tries to crack jokes when times are stressful and points out the obvious when it is already very clear. On occasion, the jokes really do not land and the game falters in the first act, but when the story ramps up during the second act, all can be forgiven. One of my favorite relationships in the game is between Finley and the head of the ward, Dr. Krokowski. Dr. Krokowski is an aggressive but caring doctor who elevates Finley to become the best doctor he can be throughout the game.

Doctors aren’t perfect, they are flawed, like everyone else and the game really wants to let you know that.

In between all of the calamities, Finley and friends make time to live life and experience the town of Porcupine. Porcupine gives off every single vibe of an incredibly small town. Everyone knows everyone and one person’s business is everyone’s business. A bakery, stationery business, pub, and florist are all on the same street with the town square dead center. It is a very inviting place filled with inviting people.

When the main story is taking a small break, the town and its side stories are heartfelt and relaxing. Playing basketball to get exercise, experiencing the Hibernation Festival, and participating in an improv theater show, it’s all so heartwarming. It takes a lot of the edge off when introduced to the stressful lives of those who work inside hospitals.

Fall of Porcupine’s main focus is the narrative aspect but a bunch of minigames break up the narrative when it starts to drone on. Finley is in fact a doctor and it is imperative that he does his rounds, so this is where the minigames come in. A game that can only be described as “medical Wordle” to diagnose patients, a rhythm game to check the heart and a game number game to prescribe drugs are all at work and they all work really well to break up the narrative. The games are not really that thought-inducing, except maybe the Wordle variant, but they are fun nonetheless.

Absolutely stunning-looking video game. I have to say that the prologue had more color, but the main game is still beautiful.

Fall of Porcupine is a good video game. Making what healthcare workers face on a daily basis was intriguing and it delivered, especially the inevitability of death. The first act was slow to pick up but the second act was frantic, fast, and enjoyable. The minigames are fun, the characters are likable and the game looks great. There were some bugs that really didn’t hinder the gameplay, just annoying.

Overall, if you want to relax and play a fun, eight-hour narrative game then Fall of Porcupine is for you.