I was sent a free copy of Creatures of Ava to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.
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What is Creatures of Ava?
Creatures of Ava is an action adventure game out now for PC and Xbox.
You were sent to the planet Ava to save it from the Withering. The withering is a spreading corruption that is slowly killing the planet and its inhabitants. Catastrophe strikes and you are sent crashing to its surface. With the aid of some locals, you set out to continue your mission. Do you have what it takes to stop the corruption?
Gameplay
Ava finds a magical staff with the power to rescue the planet. Players use this staff to solve puzzles and cleanse wild life. This staff can be upgraded throughout out the adventure by buying nodes off a skill tree. XP in this game is earned when a player successfully studies and catalogues new data on the planet’s wildlife. This mechanic incentivizes exploration, even when the incentive isn’t needed.
Combat is nonviolent, which is extremely flavorful for the game’s theme. The goal of the game is to save the planet, so players use the staff to free the wildlife from a disease rather than to fight monsters. Combat is pretty basic, but manages to be engaging. The staff emits a beam of healing energy that reduces the corruption while the player dodges attacks. Players can learn new abilities to help them cleanse the planet more efficiently. Cleansing the planet removes obstacles from the surface. Cleansing an animal makes it friendly.
Friendly animals can be tamed by playing the flute. Each animal has a unique song that the player must emulate to gain its trust. This exists in the form of a Simon Says-like rhythm game. Players can link with a tamed animal and use their abilities to solve puzzles. While the rhythm game itself isn’t innovative or exciting, it is cool to become an animal from time to time.
The map for this game is a great size for an adventure. Players have a good amount of freedom to explore Ava’s strange and beautiful world, but there is a main quest line available for guidance.
Review
If you are looking for a new action-adventure game, you need to play Planet of Ava. This game is unique, beautiful, and a lot of fun. The game also features a solid story with a pretty amazing cast of voice actors. The game has so much to do that it is easily worth the money.
I loved every minute of this game. I have a hard time putting it down, but also staying focused. The world is so beautiful and vibrant that I kept having to fight the urge to keep exploring. I love crafting, and the fact that there was a crafting and gathering mechanic was extremely dangerous. If I wasn’t on a deadline, I could have easily spent hours making potions and exploring the world without ever touching the main story. Best of all, the game is pretty inoffensive. Aside from a few dark moments, a game about saving animals is a wholesome good time.
Planet of Ava is available now on PC, Steam, and Game Pass. This game is worth at least a first play through.
Good article. Pictures are amazing.