Action, puzzles and platforms. With the soul of a 16-bit classic, but also a great spirit of renewal, Owlboy is pure charm; a video game that strikes a chord and knows how to have fun from start to finish. The variety of situations that it poses, added to the attractiveness of its history and beautiful artistic section, make it an essential title. In this analysis of Owlboy we highlight its great virtues on the occasion of its launch on PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
Alittle over a year has passed since I analyzed Owlboy , which seemed like an impossible dream after almost a decade in development! And now I see myself writing the analysis of the version for consoles of what is one of the best 2D adventures of the last times. It is a fantastic video game! that is born from the faith and passion of a study that never lowered its arms. Passion, reflected in the care and detail with which each element of this beautiful adventure of puzzles, action and platforms has been designed ; and faith, a lot of faith in a project that seemed to have no end, which gives incredible merit to the small team at D-Pad Studio . Not only for the tenacity shown. His video game gives off the aroma of the great classics of the 16-bit eraIt is pure nostalgia, but it is also a game to some extent innovative; seeks to offer something different and does so with an exciting 2D adventure that never ceases to amaze.
Shooting, metroidvania-style exploration , puzzles, boss fights… if there’s one thing I’m passionate about about Owlboy it’s his ability to reinvent his action, over and over again, during the nearly ten-hour journey. You may face a dungeon covered by a cloak of darkness, constantly fight multiple enemies under the threat of drafts, or even use stealth to infiltrate behind enemy lines. It is the great virtue of the video game, the surprise factor, but in a way, also one of the few defects that it treasures. It covers so many fronts that in the end, it does not particularly stand out on any of them.
Owlboy: Launching on consoles
The winged heroWith a protagonist capable of flying, it cannot be said that this is a normal platform adventure. There are challenges of the style, of course, because at specific moments of the game we will encounter obstacles that prevent us from taking flight; But the challenge, more than jumping chasms, lies in avoiding the many traps and enemies that populate the colorful world of Owlboy. The experience is great. For the great inventiveness of the developers, who always have an ace up their sleeve with which to surprise, but above all, for the wonderful emotional connection established with the unfortunate hero of the adventure, Otus , whom few hold in high esteem. In your world.
Each phase of the adventure is unique, in aesthetics and game mechanicsThe sadness in his eyes or the trembling gesture with which he faces some challenges take him away from the stereotype of a brave, confident hero, capable of ending any enemy in his quest to save the world. Rather, he is a vulnerable character; He cannot attack, only dodge, and at best, return fire with quick cape turns. He desperately needs help and it comes to him from his friends , who, to put it bluntly, are his best weapon. It is they who attack, who break the barriers that slow their advance using special abilities such as a limited-range pistol, or a powerful cannon capable of setting fire to enemies and other elements of the environment. It’s a great idea with an even better execution.
The story, without being a genius, is followed with great interest: there are surprises, great characters, original situations and a lot of heart in what is told.
The one that Otus has to carry his friends from here to there; that to defeat the enemy must resort to the help of others, gives the character a humanity rarely seen in a video game of these characteristics. You care about him and his companions; his adventure is your adventure, and surprisingly, it is neither boring nor tiresome. Things have been done so well, the Owlboy action has been planned so well, that as much as it sounds “heavy” to fly around constantly with someone in tow, the experience is at times wonderful given how well they take advantage of the skills of our comrades.
There are ingenious puzzles , the kind that force you to thoroughly explore the scenarios in search of clues; and also memorable combats where apart from agility and dexterity with weapons, a head is required, thinking well before acting, as many enemies require special tactics to be defeated. The level design is shown here as one of its great bastions: each phase is unique, in terms of aesthetics and game mechanics; They are also surprising for their size, for the many alternative paths they offer and the epic boss fights. They are the best and a good sample of the great quality that the D-Pad Studios video game treasures.
Do you have coins? Go to the store to unlock health upgrades and receive special items that will make fighting pirates easier.
Even in the plot, without being original or prodigious at the narrative level, Owlboy surprises by the great importance it gives to the story . Dialogues are a constant in an adventure that captures from beginning to end thanks to that human, emotional touch that defines his action. There are moments to remember, also great characters with whom it is easy to empathize, others to hate, and in between, humor, drama and epic round off a noteworthy work that is crowned by an outcome capable of leaving speechless To anybody. Fortunately, with the texts translated into Spanish , which is something that PC fans could not enjoy at first.
Owlboy settings are beautiful, varied, and colorful. A true retro adventure.
The trip you propose is worth it. Even though it never comes down to particularly complex challenges, it often happens when you cover so many fronts, Owlboy is one of those adventures that go straight to the heart. It has that inexplicable something that makes you explore with great passion its beautiful world of retro aesthetics . Although the most appropriate thing is to talk about hi-bit pixel art , or what a 16-bit video game would look like with current technical advances. The result, I don’t have to say, is wonderful. The stages look incredible; they are beautiful, varied, colorful… without forgetting the character design and their animations, which are equally masterful. If you also enjoy its action on Nintendo Switch, you can go anywhere thanks to Portable Mode of the hybrid console is a quality plus that makes this a more attractive version if possible, although it is worth it here, on PC, or on Sony and Microsoft consoles.
The care and care with which everything has been recreated, even the smallest detail in the settings or the small gestures of the protagonists and enemies, are a good example of the passion and affection with which D-Pad Studios has given life to the videogame. Even music has overwhelming force. It’s hard not to get excited about the quality of their melodies.
Are you fond of physical editions? You will be happy to know that Owlboy will have a physical version on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, which will go on sale at the end of next May.
“Magnificent”
Owlboy
Owlboy plays with nostalgia brilliantly but, at the same time, is also committed to innovation. It recovers the best essence of the adventures of bygone times and puts a new twist on it that feels great. Action, platforming, puzzles, exploration, and even stealth! There is everything in this video game that knows how to constantly surprise. It may lack some complexity in some of its challenges, but the experience is so fun, and so much quality is offered at an audiovisual level, that this is a journey that few should miss.
- In the artistic it is a beautiful video game. It offers pictures of incredible beauty
- Good level design and great ability to surprise with your challenges
- The boss fights and the melancholic tone of their argument
- There are good ideas but not entirely well used
- A little more complexity is missing in some challenges
