"Creatures of Ava" is an action-adventure game that challenges players to embark on an urgent mission to save a planet threatened by a deadly infection.
GAMEPLAY / VISUAL
The visuals in Creatures of Ava are simply breathtaking, turning every part of the environment into a spectacle of its own. Comparisons with other games in the genre are inevitable, but here the development team truly excelled. This may be one of the most well-crafted and fluid games in terms of visuals and audio. Each element has its own distinctive sound, and the use of the flute in the game is particularly memorable, leaving a lasting impression.
However, I must admit that I disliked the gameplay, and this may be due to my perspective. As someone deeply connected to games like Pokémon and, more recently, Palworld, the gameplay experience offered by Creatures of Ava is disappointing by comparison. Although they are games with different goals, characteristics, and genres, the comparison becomes inevitable when analyzing the creatures, which are well-made but have limited uses within the game. It’s not that I expected battles or anything like that, but the gameplay in Creatures of Ava is so superficial that, for me, the game became generic and soulless in this aspect.
While the movement of the main character and the creatures is fluid, the almost exclusive focus on using the flute to charm creatures was, in my opinion, an unfortunate choice. This mechanic contributes to a sense of monotony, as we constantly need to stop to execute commands in the correct order, disrupting the flow of the game. Additionally, the NPCs lack personality and engaging dialogue, seeming to have been procedurally generated just to populate the world. At one point in the game, we are required to go from point A to point B, interacting with dozens of generic NPCs and completing missions that could have been much better crafted.
ACHIEVEMENTS
The achievements in this game are fair but require dedication. Completing everything will take a considerable amount of time, and although this might become tiring, the monotonous gameplay may discourage you before reaching the more advanced moments of the story.
TRAILER OFFICIAL
RESUME
To an outsider, Creatures of Ava might seem incredible, and it's no wonder—the art direction has done an excellent job, both in animations and promotional artwork. However, don’t be deceived. If you and I, the one reading this review, had a week, two potatoes, and a soda, we could create a game with more enjoyable and creative gameplay than Creatures of Ava.
This is a clear example of a game that had all the potential to be amazing but ended up being hampered by weak writing and a lack of creativity in executing its ideas. Another concern is the discrepancy between the actual gameplay experience and the positive reviews it received on Steam. Many of these reviews seem generic and uncritical, raising suspicions that a significant number of reviewers received the game for free. I recommend caution to avoid spending money based solely on these superficial reviews.
Creatures of Ava had the potential to be an extraordinary game, especially considering the undeniable talent of the technical team involved. Visually, it is one of the most stunning games I have ever seen. However, despite its beauty, the game fails to become truly engaging. It could be classified as contemplative, but the reality is that each task within the game quickly becomes tedious. The mechanic of charming creatures, which initially seems promising, soon becomes frustrating.
Review by Gamertag: Scoulz
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