Each encounter feels intense and unique, usually forcing the player to utilize a recently-learned technique. It’s not an overly dexterous feat, but god damn does it feel badass.Īll of this is exemplified in the boss fights. However, since these guys are armored, I would throw Geddy up in the air, spin as Otus to knock off the armor, then either catch Geddy (for extra flair) or teleport him to me before he hit the ground and fire off a few shots. Normally, the player can just fire a few pistol shots and kill the bats no problem. To use an early example with just Otus and Geddy, I’ll use the armor-covered cyclops-bat enemies. It feels remarkably satisfying to utilize multiple characters and Otus all at once. It immediately made me interested in each new character that was introduced. While the base mechanics are simple, I loved the open-ended opportunities.Įvery time I saw an NPC, I found myself thinking “What if I teamed up with them? What abilities might they have?” It reminded me of playing Shining Force, when you never knew who exactly would join you and what they could do. There are also instances during the plot where Otus carries temporary friends who also have unique abilities. This isn’t a spoiler, by the way, because the menu screen blatantly gives this away as soon as you look at it. It’s possible to teleport Geddy (and others) directly into Otus’ hand with a tap of a button, so there’s no “Oh shit, where did I leave him?” moment.Īs the story progresses, Otus connects with two more NPCs, each with their own abilities. While carrying Geddy, the player can’t use Otus’ spin move but can utilize Geddy’s pistol to shoot enemies. ![]() The first companion is Geddy, who wields a pistol. Otus is equipped with only a spin move and relies on others to do damage for him. The Owl homeland gets besieged by pirates and Otus and friends set out to put a stop to their dastardly deeds.Įven the gameplay feels fresh and exciting. It’s easy to comprehend and doesn’t throw out an insane amount of jargon at the player that serves only to make things more confusing. The overarching story follows the Owls and explores their past, present, and future. I don’t want to go get the bad guy because that’s obviously what happens next, I want to get him because HOLY SHIT DID YOU SEE WHAT HE DID?! This goes a long way towards getting the player invested in what is actually happening on a more personal level. I wasn’t expecting this much of an emotional rollercoaster, but damn does D-Pad Studio know how to play with emotions. The strongest is that of friendship and at times it really pulls at the heartstrings. This is a game that explores a lot of themes throughout its roughly eight- to ten-hour journey. In fact, I would say that the only scene in Owlboy better than its opening is its ending scene, though I won’t go into detail for obvious reasons. The relatable relationship should hit home for many people, but the way the gravity of the situation and its impact are conveyed is nothing short of amazing. ![]() The opening scene deserves special, yet vague, mention. It doesn’t matter if the character is the main focus of the scene or not, which is really what makes it all so brilliant. ![]() Otus will twiddle his fingers, his companion Geddy will wave his arms about, characters have detailed facial expressions while talking or reacting - everything about the animations is special. If there were no dialogue at all, it would still be easy to determine the personalities of every single character. Speaking of expressiveness, holy cow does this game nail character animations. Players will be rooting for Otus’ success immediately because of his situation and just how expressive he is. It all starts with Otus, a young, mute owl, who begins his adventure in a very relatable experience to most people: a negative student-teacher relationship. ![]() One of Owlboy‘s many strengths is its ability to get the player invested in the plot and its characters immediately. Welp, it was worth the (eight-year) wait!
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