Shalik
Game provided by publisher. Reviewed via Steam.
Publisher: 11 Bit Studios
Developer: Inverge Studios, Chibig
GET LOST IN A NEW WORLD
Creatures of Ava is set on a planet far from Earth. A lush environment with four distinct biomes. Planet Ava has previously hosted human researchers who succeeded in falling in love with Ava but also lost the trust of the planet’s natives, the Naam.
Naam people are very tied to their planet and care greatly about the plants and animals found there. They have a kinship with the animals and with each other through song and can tame animals easily using flutes. Songs which feature heavily throughout the game and create a relaxing soundtrack throughout the biomes with each biome having a distinct tribe with its own unique song. I got immediately reminded of the Na’vi from James Cameron’s Avatar, sharing this love of nature and respect for the world around them. A wholesome experience as well as a little food for thought.
Our story begins as we crash land onto the planet, destroying the transport ship and the equipment that our heroine, Vic, had brought with us to capture and tame the local fauna. Our aim is simple, we wish to save the creatures of ava from a horrifying disease sweeping the planet, known as The Withering. The infection attacks all organic life, leaving behind festering roots and changing the animals into violent rotten husks of what they were.
We crash through a ruin and find an old relic of a bygone people, the Antaris. They had developed a weapon, in the form of a staff called Nafitar, to fight off this disease and our heroine stumbles upon it after meeting an archaeologist Naam, Nim’ar, who is shunned by others of his tribe. There is a sense that not only are humans mistrusted but any relics of the Antaris are also held in suspicion. They did not build and create with the planet in mind and so brought about their own downfall, but how did they go extinct? Why leave behind such an important relic with very little to explain?
You and your new friend endeavour to find out, but you are reminded by your partner from your space exploration team, Tabitha, that your mission here was conservation. You need to save the creatures of this planet before the planet ceases to be. Stick to the plan is echoed constantly by your partner. So, you befriend the locals, learn how to tame animals as they do and lead them to beacons to save them all, then you just have to convince the tribes to save themselves and come with you. How do you convince an entire sentient species that they need to leave the only home they’ve had, and one they are extremely tied to?
COMBAT?
The game swiftly begins with the basics. Inputs were set up to be more controller friendly than traditional keyboard and mouse. If you’re used to playing RPG games with PC controls you would likely catch on quickly but I imagine most people will find it easier to plug in your favourite controller and the layout feels very natural. You quickly discover a “photo mode” which allows you to take pictures of creatures to gain more information for your encyclopaedia, improving the research and giving insights on how an animal fits into its ecosystem. This is a key mechanic into learning the world around you and gives you an idea of what each creature is able to offer. You also need to take photos of withered creatures to unlock the full page which, given that the Withering causes the animals to become incredibly violent, can be easier said than done! Withered creatures lose their bright colours and look as if they are covered in some sort of brown vines.
These creatures are distressed and angry but fear not! Your newly acquired staff is able to cure the withering from these creatures and restore them to their former glory, this also has the benefit of taming the creatures as they are incredibly thankful for being rescued. As an extreme animal lover, it was nice to see a game where creatures do not have to be harmed to be “fought” you are merely removing their affliction, like a magical veterinarian, I wish there was an actual power for this, pointing a flashy blue staff at a creature until its malady has totally evaporated.
UNCOVER GREAT MYSTERIES
Exploration is a key element of Creatures of Ava’s charm. Wide landscapes with its own mini ecosystem sprawl across bright colourful areas that have simply adorable graphics. The creatures are, for the most part, cute and cuddly and each one has a special ability or talent to help you reach new places or find rare items. You learn to link with these animals to use their skills to your benefit and all for the greater good of creature rescue and conservation.
Tame the wilds and bring them to nearby beacons, solving puzzles as you go, filling in set lists with numbers of each creature to collect. Withered animals have to be cured first so the disease doesn’t spread to your already rescued beasts. This element of the game has a big Kena: The bridge of spirits vibe, the controls for the creatures feel similar to the rot in that game though there is a lot more variation on abilities. The idea of learning about all the creatures with the digital encyclopaedia is very gratifying. It became a goal to collect the cutest photos of each creature for pride of place in the compendium. Each biome has its own animals who fit the classic roles you would expect, predators, scavengers and prey. There are creatures who fly, those that tunnel and those who can use muscle to their advantage, all wait for Vic’s guidance.
Ancient civilisations wait to be uncovered with historical monuments left by the Antaris. Solve puzzles and create mosaics here to unlock new powers for your staff to aid you in opening yet more new areas or during combat to give you an edge against more dangerous creatures. As you progress you uncover the truth about this civilisation and their goals, relearn their lost knowledge and teach the Naam the truth about this lost people. One issue that became apparent during my puzzle solving was that if I was not quite quick enough, Vic usually had some variety of quip which at the time just felt sarcastic. First time sorting a mosaic and getting used to the controls and Vic’s voice pipes up: “How am I struggling at this. There aren’t that many pieces!” Yes, Vic. I was aware, thank you. With intellectual ability in disrepute, we soldier on to the next puzzle that will likely also take me too long to solve.
Crafting is available in the game but feels very much an afterthought. You can craft healing items, stamina replenishers and cures for certain status effects but most of what you craft can be found on your journeys, the flora required can however be found readily and provides a good backup if your dodge skills are lacking!
CAN I PET THAT DOG?!
Did I mention that all of the creatures are adorable? I may be the kind of person who just loves every animal she sees but each creature was well made and showed unique behaviours. Take the time to hide and watch the creatures rather than charging straight in and you’ll see them grazing, interacting with one another and crucially, figure out walking patterns for the less friendly guys. Although all of the creatures are very friend shaped, some of them would rather be left alone or see you as a light snack. Once you know how to tame these creatures the world is quite literally your oyster but beware the Withering, even friendly creatures are driven wild by its influence. Some are even strengthened by its presence meaning in some cases you may need to stealth your way past until you have powered up your Nafitar staff.
Using a flute gifted to you by the Naam you learn each tribe’s special song. The songs resonate with the animal kingdom around them and can be used to tame the creatures. If you have a musical mind you will love how you use actual notes to “sing” to the creatures with your flute, copying how they communicate with others of their species. Once tamed, the creatures will follow you and submit to being linked with to control them and use their abilities to unlock gateways, remove obstacles and find helpful items. That isn’t even the greatest thing you can do… Petting each and every creature is possible! Instant 10/10 from me, will hug every creature and don’t try to stop me!
COZY BUT SIMPLE
I loved the world of Ava and making friends with all its creatures. I found the puzzles fun but for the most part simple, nothing required too much thought to complete. The side quests gave me a good look at the Naam and where their values lay. I also found the stories very wholesome, with some stories touching on very real issues such as dementia and habitat loss. Loneliness and mistrust are replaced by kindness and learning to love nature whilst also respecting it.
Some of the voice acting at times felt a little childish, with many of the characters speaking in a way that seemed simplified but then this would appeal to the younger audiences and makes the game much more accessible. The lessons Ava has for us are widespread and the game is a lovely place to get lost in for a little while.
At time of writing there were bugs present in the press release version. At one point the game had to be completely restarted with a brand new save but luckily, I was not far in. The bugs can be rectified with a patch.
Creatures of Ava is a cute, cosy game that will appeal to casual gamers and more experienced gamers alike. The more experienced gamers will love this as a chill and unwind game whilst still having the adventure side of things. Casual gamers will enjoy the world of Ava and finding out all her secrets.
