Owlboy is a unique production that has been in the works for over ten years. It’s a platformer, but you can’t leap in it, and your reflexes are hardly tested. There are basically as many moments of pure exploration with a sense of stealth as there are arcade fun.
The creators do not, on the contrary, follow the trend of increasing the level of difficulty beyond all sense. The game is simple, although it does demand some focus at times. The primary characters, as well as their connections, come to the fore rather fast, as does a fascinating narrative that fascinates and keeps you guessing until the very end. Otus is an owl who, by the standards of his world, is exceptional in that he cannot communicate. It is a type of humanoid bird that patrols the sky. His preparation to become a fearless warrior is not going well. His master and owl students continuously chastise him. No matter how hard he tries, he is still a failure and a loser in their eyes. Wrongly, since, as is often the case in life, amazing levels of heroism emerge from individuals we least anticipate.
This is what happens to Otus when air pirates attack his globe, destroying neighboring towns and robbing his native hamlet. Contrary to the expectations of everyone who has long written him off, the owl embarks on a dangerous trip. However, Otus is not alone. He is joined by his assistant Geddy, and eventually by other characters, throughout virtually the whole game. They are necessary since a mute guard is unable to utilize any weapon on his own. The hero can do practically nothing other than fly, beat with a wing, or roll in the air. As a result, he need allies who can wield weapons in their hands to defeat opponents or barriers while Otus grips them in his claws. The major gameplay feature is flying and swapping captive individuals. Geddy fires swiftly, but his weapon is ineffective. Alphonse’s pirate shotgun causes devastation, but reloading takes many seconds. He can also ignite lamps and smash rocks that are in the way. There are a lot of them, and they are all different. We fly up and down our home hamlet, discovering all the nooks and crannies, talking to the residents and visiting their homes. There are obvious references to the legendary Fez.
Later, we land in caves with weird devices devised by ancient owls, and finally flee from lava emitted by an erupting volcano. There are also intriguing bosses that are cunning, tough to overcome, but not annoying, and leave a lasting impact. Owlboy, regrettably, begins slowly, and the game’s lethargic flow only develops speed with time. The narrative itself is not very innovative, but it is told in such a way that it fascinates and keeps you guessing till the very end. The game also features a lot of dialogues, which are both humorous and sweet. Because the given universe and its inhabitants are not black and white, we are unsure which side is truly wicked. The plot is important since it is highly serious. There are several touching moments. The audiovisual setting is a work of art. The impact of the actions on the screen is emphasized by a simple yet effective sound design and a wonderful musical track. The graphics are pixel art’s apex. Owlboy looks fantastic, with great attention to detail and well-animated figures. We frequently pause to take in the breathtaking scenery.
However, not everything is flawless; certain components require polishing. The controls can be awkward, and we can get lost when going through passageways in the dark in one of the levels. The authors did not consider closing the optional pathways at this point in the game, when we can’t see anything. Furthermore, the development system is elementary; it’s unfortunate that no effort was made to extend it.
Owlboy is a pleasant game with a stunning audiovisual backdrop, a fascinating tale, and fantastic characters – but it’s also pretty long, taking more than 10 hours to complete. Without a question, the D-pad studio’s work is remarkable and rates among the finest indie games of recent years.