Posted on: October 15, 2018
KADC
Verified ownerGames: 326 Reviews: 8
A nice game, but not worth full price.
If there were half-stars, I'd give Owlboy a 3.5 rating instead of 4 stars. The story is good and the idea of carrying a companion to provide firepower (using the second control stick) is original, plus the game switches things up enough with new game mechanics to keep it from getting stale, but the Metroid-esque gameplay still seems lacklustre somehow. Backtracking is minimal, with all items in each "dungeon" area being collectible on your first visit, which is both good and bad, as this means there is no reason to return to these areas with a new companion to get unreachable items because there aren't any. The first area has fireflies revealing hidden items, but the only way to find all the coins in each area after that is to hug the walls -- all the walls -- which is tedious, and you need every coin in the game in order to get all your companions' upgrades. I prefer to avoid walkthroughs, but for this game, watching someone show you where to find the coins you missed will allow you to complete the game before boredom sets in. Continuing the game after the end-scene may seem pointless as you will respawn at the start of the final battle, but there is a light in the hallway immediately to the left (if you don't initiate the final scene) which allows you to return to the past. Assuming you got the third golden disc (easily missed -- you must replay the final level from the start if you didn't get it), returning to the past is the only way to insert the third disc in the final pillar and get the full backstory. Note that completing the game after doing this does not change the ending. In summary, if you enjoy mildly challenging platform games where you're playing for the storytelling as much as anything else (Bastion comes to mind), Owlboy, while not great (so get it on sale), is definitely fun and seldom disappointing.
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