Reviews / 26 June 2023

Review: Fall of Porcupine – A Dive Into Modern Healthcare

Fall of Porcupine is a cosy story driven game developed by Critical Rabbit (prev. BUNTSPECHT.GAMES) and published by Assemble Entertainment. The game was released on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and PC on June 15th 2023 and also has a prologue, Last Days of Summer that was released last year.

You play as Finley, a pigeon, and a new fledgling doctor at St. Ursula Hospital. During your working day you will provide care to your patients, learn about your colleagues, and navigate through unexpected challenges. During your free time, you can socialize with friends and discover what is to offer in the charming town of Porcupine.

As the seasons in the small-town change and life starts to stir, you’ll soon realize that things aren’t always what they seem: Not everyone is honest with themselves and others, the healthcare industry is not as illustrious as it seemed in medical school, and the work/life balance Finley strives toward might be impossible to achieve.

The story of Fall of Porcupine progresses over the course of several days and nights. The game begins with Finley returning to work after brief medical leave, caused by a head injury he acquired at work.

Much of the gameplay is pretty simple. Finley goes about his every day routine, leaving his home to make his way to the hospital. On your commute to work you can interact with several of the towns residents that are going about their days, some of which will tell you stories about the town. The game is beautifully illustrated and all of the characters have a charming look to them.

The hospital is another unique location which Finley can explore. Your focus as a doctor is to complete tasks, which may include engaging in conversations or navigating around the workplace. Each time players check in for a shift, they’ll be given three patients in the ward they need to tend to, which involves a variety of minigames, such as adjusting a patients medications, monitoring their heartbeats, and other activities.

After work, you have the option of either returning home or spending quality time with your friends. This allows you to further explore the lives of other characters and gain insights into their personalities and interests.

One of the first thing that attracted me to Fall of Porcupine was the music and art style, which reminded me instantly of Night In The Woods. The soundtrack for the game is very relaxing and does a great job with setting the mood and tone throughout.

The game also tackles a lot of different themes like mental health, death, and grief while also giving a small insight into the life of healthcare workers. As someone who is a strong advocate for mental health awareness, I was instantly drawn in to see how the game would deal with these themes.

Fall of Porcupine is a beautiful experience, with a unique combination of a cosy game with reflections of the struggles healthcare workers face in the industry. Overall, if you like cosy, story-driven games, Fall of Porcupine is definitely a title for you.

I played Fall of Porcupine on Nintendo Switch with a review copy. The game is available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and PC.