![]() Some areas are littered with thorny bushes and other environmental traps, and players will routinely find themselves smacked around and flung into walls if they’re not careful.Īvoiding damage is mostly down to player care, but Otus himself suffers from some loose controls that could use tightening up. Navigating the world’s many hazards requires spatial awareness, and enemies are aggressive enough to chase Otus across multiple screens if they’re not dealt with. Owlboy is fairly forgiving with its liberal checkpoints and ability to find health, but it’s not a cakewalk. Even the ones that just need to be shot a bunch of times can be thoroughly challenging, with a robotic snake in particular proving a tricky obstacle. Bosses are huge, impressive opponents that often require specific tactics and abilities to defeat. ![]() Using perspective to create 2D objects behind which Otus can hide, these stages adapt the kind of sneaking seen in Jasper Byrne’s Lone Survivor, albeit to a far more complex degree. ![]() The first stealth moment leaves something to be desired – a rather irritating little segment where you must avoid flying or making too much noise lest you be chased and instantly devoured by gnomes – but subsequent stealthing is rather enjoyable. Spinning while holding them acts as a thorough dismissal, but if they’re instead dropped next to other items, they always take precedence if they’re even vaguely nearby – trying to pick up a berry to eat but grabbing Geddy-insteddy is a frequent cause for grumbling.ĢD stealth sections also pop up from time to time, just to add some flavor. The only problem with carrying allies is the hassle they can be to not pick up every time they’re dropped. Each monster that appears comes with its own unique attack pattern and defenses – some will need heavy objects dropped from above to break their armor and render them vulnerable, while others shall require a quick spin-attack before they’re open to gunfire. With an armed ally, Owlboy plays somewhat similar to a stick shooter, one hand controlling flight and the other firing with a 360 degree aim. Geddy’s weapon might not be so versatile, but it’s a dependable shot and good at destroying simple barricades. The flaming discharge of Alphonse’s musket ignites torches and burns plant blockages, while Twig’s grappling web can drag Otus through strong winds or across waterfalls that negate his flying ability. The weapons of these characters will be essential for navigating the environment, too. Geddy has a straightforward pistol, Alphonse uses a musket with a devastating blast but slow reload time, and Twig can fire webs to trap foes or use as a grappling hook. Over the course of the game, he gains new abilities via his friends – each of his three allies have a distinct weapon, and by summoning them into his airborne hands, he can direct them to attack. On his own, he gets to dodge, perform a spin-attack that stuns enemies, and drag select objects around after picking them from the ground. Along the way he’ll team up with disaffected pirate Alphonse and misbehaving spider Twig, using their abilities alongside Geddy’s to enter numerous dungeons and attempt to foil the plans of the mechanical menace.īeing an owl… sort of… Otus gets free rein of the screen, able to jump from platforms and take to the sky by simply directing him upwards. I have indeed played it, and despite taking so long to materialize, there is no doubt the wait was worth it – Owlboy is bloody terrific.Ī simple coming-of-age tale, Owlboy tells the story of Otus, a mute owl who works with his soldier friend Geddy to protect an airborne world from malevolent robotic sky pirates. That was almost a decade back, so long ago that I barely believe I’ve been able to play the finished product. I first started covering the game when I worked at Destructoid, charmed as I was by its then-novel throwback aesthetic, gorgeous soundtrack, and darling protagonist. ![]() Owlboy has been in development for a long, long time. Developer: D-Pad Studio Publisher: D-Pad Studio Format: PC Released: NovemCopy provided by publisher ![]()
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