Owlboy like to call platformer. But to be fair to call as a game in which you can fly freely, and the risk of falling into the abyss does not exist?
World Owlboy hub is in the form of a vertical cylinder which is divided into several superposed zones with antagonists store and, as usual, secrets. Well, at the very bottom of the barrel stretches the native village of the hero.
Fly freely among the floating islands between missions – a pleasure. Here and a delightful sense of mission, and scenic location with a dynamic change of day and night.
However, aimless reel game did not allow. every time we come back with a specific purpose and under the new circumstances in a central location. She herself, by the way, just by changing a few times to keep the mood effectively.
From the hub, we find ourselves in isolated “dungeon”: caves, ancient temples, cities or even the inside of a pirate dreadnought. Each outing – an adventure, but most importantly, the conditions are almost never repeated: Different enemies, different puzzles and even different areas within one location.
And this is probably the main thing that gives Owlboy in the game, which is being developed for nine years.
Nine! When the studio D-Pad was taken only for the work schedule in pixel art’s Style was not even more mainstream among independent developers.
Typically, such a stretched timing suggests that the developers ran out of money either, or they have fallen into a technical or creative stupor. Well, maybe they were trying to release Star Citizen (could not resist, sorry).
In the case of Owlboy all a little different. According to the official, the head of development Simon Andersen was afraid of bad reviews players and critics, so that several times changed the concept of the game and start all over again.
However, in the case involved and the identity crisis – we know that Andersen was a child prone to depression, and one of protracted periods of exacerbation contributed to the increase in development time.
Perhaps this is due to an illness in the history of game designers Owlboy turned a personal and touching. The theme is not beaten, at least in the games – misunderstanding and passive, but destructive conflict between the student and the teacher.
Despite the fact that the game is for the most part focused on action and platforming, plot, dialogue and directing general paid a lot of attention.
Simple and familiar at its core storyline is complemented by intelligently chosen and sensibly aligned parts, memorable characters, and even a pair of enough twists and turns that give the story depth.
The protagonist, a mute from birth owlet Otus, take over from the aging of the village skill custodian (in this world Owls – representatives of the dilapidated superior race, which the common people in the old revered and respected as defenders).
The relationship between teacher and student living and complex, many will find even personal moments in them. A touching story helps to establish an emotional connection with the characters, through which soon cease to perceive how a handful of pixels – they become full-fledged personality.
Aged Azio – snob and conservative, from a difficult student, he is trying to raise a perfect copy of itself. But on the other hand, in spite of the endless setbacks and failures Otus, he does not give up until the last (as it seems) believes that from owlet will sense.
the hero himself deprived too bright attributes of the archetypal “careless student.” It can not be called misunderstood and undervalued – it really is not a genius, and being dumb, without a murmur demolishing rudeness, and consumerist attitude from others. Instead charming rebelliousness it is only self-doubt and fear of shameful failure.
