Something about Europa is undeniably devastating. At first I was too distracted to tell, ambling about a lush green meadow and gazing out at the watercolor panorama of grass, stone, and the vault of blue sky overhead. With a dreamy soundtrack playing as I climb ledges and glide over mossy hills, Europa feels like a peaceful reimagining of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom – this time, without the Bokoblins.
As I gather page after page of left-behind notes, though, I read and realize that this Europa demo is a lot more than that. It tells the story of the last human child on a terraformed planet, located somewhere nearby Jupiter, by way of notes penned by his father. It's a serene yet deeply saddening experience that left me very close to tears for all the best reasons.
