She appears in the form of green light since she has long since left her corporeal form behind. The Voice: Gamana, the mysterious woman who follows you around.Gamana thanks you and wishes you a safe journey home. This means that no one else can stumble across Quern and its power. In the second, you follow Gamana's advice and destroy the gateway. Gamana feels betrayed and you step through Maythorn's makeshift portal to meet him in person (or so he says). In the first, you do what Maythorn tells you to and unlock the gateway. Multiple Endings: The game has two possible endings.This is appropriate given that several puzzles involve grinding crystals and plants into powder. Meaningful Name: A quern-stone is a tool for grinding.In his letters, he often talks about how incredible his inventions are and how only a genius would be capable of figuring out how they work. Insufferable Genius: Maythorn can come across as this.Gamana helps you across by giving you the ability to float in midair. Deus ex Machina: At one point, you find yourself on a bridge that has a section missing.Given that time is essentially meaningless in Quern, he could have rigged the gateway so that it would bring you there well after his departure. Also, the calculations to unlock the gateway took centuries and Maythorn left Quern long before they were finished. This strongly suggests that the voice you hear at the end is a recording and Maythorn is long dead. However, if you use the red crystal instead of the green crystal, the message starts to break down and gets cut off. The same message plays regardless of which choice you make. Dead Man Writing: The good ending implies this may be the case with Maythorn.Cryptic Background Reference: Maythorn's journal mentions "Oshwald, the capital world of the United Empire" but does not provide much in the way of information about it beyond its six ancient gateways.Chekhov's Armory: Virtually every puzzle in the game sets up a later one, or has been set up by one already solved.Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence: Gamana did this after spending centuries meditating on Quern and accepting that she had lost everything that mattered in the physical world.
A God Am I: How Gamana felt after experiencing the power of Quer'nelok (the original name for Quern).Follow the hints of the past as you delve deeper into the story to understand the importance of your presence. Immerse yourself in the beautiful scenery of the island as you discover new places. Put your mind to the test with the increasingly complex puzzles, and unravel the mysteries of the island. Quern – Undying Thoughts is a first-person puzzle adventure game, inviting you on a journey to explore it and solve its challenges. You hear the portal closing behind you as you take a step forward. You try to clear your vision and get on your feet after your arrival.
Keep an eye out for it in the days ahead.
Should you need more though, our full review is incoming. If you’re sold on a purchase of Quern – Undying Thoughts on Xbox One then the Xbox Store will, as always, provide you with the required download. Following hints, working with an in-game notepad (and no doubt a real world one too), Quern asks you to wander round its world as you put your mind to the utter test, attempting to find your way out of the trappings you are in, and away to safety.