Owlboy Review

Genre: Platforming Adventure
Players: 1
Playtime: 7 Hours (Includes beating the game and finding 75% of Buccanary Coins and other secrets; Played on the Nintendo Switch)


Owlboy is the impressive culmination of 9 years of development poured into one the most stunning pixel-based works of art you'll likely ever lay eyes on.  And really, that's more or less what the game is: A project of love and admiration for old-school platforming adventures of the Nintendo era.  As you may imagine with such a long development period, the developers faced numerous revisions and changes of direction along the way.  Was the long wait able to meet the eager expectations that came along with these delays?  Prepare for liftoff as we take to the skies and assess the pros and cons of this windswept adventure.

Art Direction / Animation

It can't be understated just how beautiful this pixel-based artwork has turned out in Owlboy.  The stunning detail of these lavish, imaginative landscapes is a sight to behold in every corner of this world.  The majestic swirls of clouds and the twinkling stars of a night sky, all of which seamlessly switches with a day / night cycle.  The subtle way every blade of grass and leaf will flutter in the wind.  There was no degree of compromise made into capturing every vivid detail of their imagination and bringing it to life.  And as such, you'll be marveling at this beauty during the entire experience you play this game.

Even each little home is carefully crafted to match each specific character whom it's designed for.

Music

Equally stunning and inspiring is the amazing score that accompanies this game.  The soundtrack is incredibly varied, from tense atmospheric grooves, the thrilling drums of combat, silly chip tunes, to moving orchestrated suites.  The music plays a large role in what makes this adventure feel that much more epic and grand.  If interested in listening and/or supporting the musical composers of this game, check them out at BandCamp here: https://jonathangeer.bandcamp.com/album/owlboy-ost.

Unique Gameplay Mechanics / New Ideas

While a good 2D adventure is a rare feat to find these days, Owlboy stands apart in not only delivering satisfying 2D exploration and action, but also doing so in such a unique and novel way.  By himself, Otus (your main character) has a limited move set of flying, spinning, and picking things up.  However, through a variety of friends you meet on your adventure, you'll be able to carry and swap between each ally for a more diverse set of moves.  Having to coordinate movement and the various actions of several characters at once can be difficult at first, sort of like patting your head while rubbing your tummy, but becomes a satisfying mechanic once mastered that is truly unlike most any other game out there.

There are several instances in the game where Otus must go stealth, using the environment and shadows for cover.

As if not satisfied enough though for creating such a different base mechanic, this game continually strives to introduce new ideas and gameplay scenarios at every turn of your journey.  From bouts of stealth to avoid savage gnomes and pirates, to dark caves where one must find light be it from luminous berries or flickering flames for safety, there is no shortage of interesting ideas to be found.  This abundance of creativity and fresh bits of gameplay help keep you consistently engaged and makes every bit of the game that much more memorable, which leads us to our last positive discussion point...

Memorable / Heartfelt Moments

There are so many moments in this game that stand out from their brilliant display of ingenuity and stellar execution of genuine emotion.  As mentioned above, the multitude of ideas helps to make each moment in the game that much more memorable.  From exploring the abandoned owl ruins that were covered in thick overgrowth, to the dramatic conclusion after battling a giant snake/worm, the game will dazzle you with its elaborate craft.  But even the quieter, more subtle details have just as strong and powerful impact.  The hesitation of a character walk animation, or the simple act of a hug will tug at your heartstrings with such tremendous degree.

So much charm and heart to be found in this game, such as with the adorable and humorous Boguins who help run the shop.

Difficulty Spikes / Controls

One of troubles of having a game so filled with so many different mechanics and ideas is that the difficulty of learning these new mechanics can fluctuate.  And this game is no pushover either.  In many an instance, you'll find yourself suddenly surrounded by enemies with no escape or up against an alarmingly overpowered boss with near impossible attacks to dodge, only for the game to ease up immediately in the subsequent section.  These jumps and dips in difficulty suggest more fine-tuning could be used for a more balanced difficulty curve.

This got out of hand rather quickly...

Another factor that likely contributes to this feeling of unfair difficulty is the somewhat awkward controls.  In order to aim, you have to move Otus in that direction.  But this means you have to fly towards an enemy in order to attack them with a ranged attack, you can't run away while firing back in counter-attack.  It would make more sense for this game to allow use of a second analog stick for aiming so that movement and aiming could be controlled independently, especially since you are in fact controlling two independent characters.  A missed opportunity for this game to be sure.

Story

While this game is full of heart and charm out the wazoo, the overarching narrative of the game leaves some to be desired.  The plot is burdened with too many levels of conspirators and poor communication; Though the importance of communication may be a integral message / theme of the game, it's still an aggravating plot point at times none the less.  The pacing also feels very rushed at times, to which I think the game could have benefited greatly for more quiet moments in which to explore peaceful locales and interact with residents.  This would have helped break up the pacing and developed a deeper affinity for the characters and world they live in.  Lastly, the ending felt incredibly grim and disappointing for a game so full of whimsy and wonder.

It's a shame we weren't able to explore and interact more with this stunning city of Advent.

Navigation

Having to fly around and navigate caves and labyrinths that are composed in all directions around you, they can become confusing beasts in which to get lost in, especially if you are trying to 100% each section and find all the hidden Buccanary Coins.  Is it too much to ask for some sort of map system?  Considering the abundance of influence it pulls from The Legend of Zelda and Metroid series, such an omission seems rather odd.

Short Playtime

Perhaps it was because of the influx of new ideas or the peculiar pacing, but this was an adventure that felt its end a little too quickly.  At a $20 price point, the game feels a tad pricey for the relatively short playtime.  I think the price point is entirely justifiable for the amount of work that went into this game, but the game would certainly feel more complete had there just been a bit more content to stretch out this windswept adventure.

Much like the main character, Otus, Owlboy is a game with so much heart and so much to prove.  Despite a few odd omissions and rough edges, Owlboy is able to rise above these faults in delivering a truly memorable and exhilarating experience like few others can.  It may not be a perfect game, but it will inspire your mind and ignite your imagination, and will not soon be forgotten.

If you have any questions or thoughts about this game, please feel free to comment and discuss below.  Thanks.  And happy gaming!