Through Steam Next Fest, PAX, and the Tribeca Games Festival, I have had plenty of opportunities to play parts of Goodbye Volcano High. I especially took notice after it won the game award for the NY Tribeca Festival. Now after many sessions with the game, I can say I am dying to find out where this story goes.
Goodbye Valcano High releases on PC, PS4, and PS5 on August 29th. It is a single-player narrative adventure game from a team of six at KO_OP in Montreal, Quebec. The story follows a group of teens during the prehistoric age. You’ll play as Fang, the front person of a local up-and-coming alt-rock indie band. Through the story, you will struggle with many of the existential choices that are presented to the average high school graduate. Although, there is one catch here and that is the looming death headed toward the cast.
How Does Goodbye Volcano High Play?
Goodbye Valcano High is not just a narrative adventure game. The core gameplay loop will have you making choices that impact the story. There are fun mini-games including something that resembles a Guitar Hero challenge. As well as some cool social media doom-scrolling moments with the DualSense controller. In all fairness, the story is the main attraction, and this is a point-and-click adventure game with expended elements.
Most importantly, the story is fantastic. I did not think I would like these high school kids. For sure I thought this was going to be some sort of Fursona hijinx. I find each one of them to be compelling. Plus the entire end of the world scenario is terrific. With that said, I am rooting for some of them to die in a fiery crash.
Overall Thoughts
When I first saw Goodbye Valcano High at the PS5 announcement event in 2020, in no way did I think this was a game for me. Now I am starting to think it has a chance to be my favorite narrative adventure game of all time. I can not wait to finish the story this summer. I highly recommend you check out the game yourself and play the abridged demo on Steam.
