Review: Botanicula
Buying a game has always been somewhat of a gamble. No sooner have you given another $50 to EA for the latest FPS when you realize that, despite the great reviews that the game got, it is just the latest flavor of the month kill-fest and does not contain a lot of innovative concepts.
Every so often, a game comes along that involves something besides mass killing. A game that has original designs and a world unlike anything else before it. A game that has a simple story and simple controls, yet manages to affect you just as deeply as the deepest RPG.
Humble Bundle and Amanita Designs are not only letting you choose the price that you pay for the masterpiece which is Botanicula, but this time they are also donating a portion of the sales to saving the rainforests! Double win! Now you can wisely spend you money on a great game as well as preserve a portion of our planet.
Not only do you get this incredible game and help save the world, but if you pay over the average price for it (around $8 when I bought it) you will get a huge amount of extras, including an art book, soundtrack, a movie, and 4 other games. Like any late night infomercial, this deal seems almost too good to be true, right? But it is!
Graphics
This is one of the most amazing graphic games that I have ever played. It is so simple, but what is there is done really well. It is constantly surprising the player with the amount of animation that is going on and the lush living world that they have created. The diffuse lighting creates a soft, magical quality that is unlike anything else that I have ever played.
Sound
The sound is a great mix of unusual pluck, whistle, and boom that reminds me of the work of Eno and Schultz. The sounds of the creatures are all very well executed as well.
Gameplay
The gameplay is a point and click adventure where you basically have to discover which objects in the world can be interacted with. However, unlike other games of this genre, the mystery of what to do next is not usually very deep. The point is to discover and progress, not try to stump you with mind-bending enigmas. I couldn't wait to see what I could interact with next, since I knew that it would involve something either cute, quirky, or inventive. Although it is only a point - click game the level design is both inspired and refreshing.
Overall
Playing Botanicula, you will be reminded of movies such as My Neighbor Totoro as well as the games of the Rayman series. Wacky little personified plants and bugs take on lives of their own. At times you will find yourself smiling the widest of grins, saying things along the lines of "Awwww" out loud, and maybe even fighting to hold back a few tears as well.
The other games that you can get with the bundle are also very fun. Machinarium, Samorost 2, Osada, and Windosill are each original and amusing and their own unique way and the cleverness of the titles is mesmerizing.
To learn more about these amazing games, go to:
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