Shelter

I got this for $2.50 and it was worth that; I'm glad I bought it. I would have been disappointed if I'd paid much more, though: it's only 1 or 2 hours long, with very little replayability. The game is definitely more of an interactive movie or art piece than a true game, let alone a simulation-type game. The interest is in the emotional and aesthetic experience of living out a pretty specific, pre-set story through the mother badger's perspective. It does that pretty well: I felt immersed and emotionally engaged in the story. If you evaluate it as a *game* though, it's a little boring--the game mechanics aren't particularly interesting or fun in their own right. The game has a particular aesthetic which is strongly reminiscent of a certain style of children's picture-book illustrations, which is sort of charming. The slightly whimsical style won't be to everyone's taste, but it's well executed. One neat feature of the game was the way that it comes with no instructions and, once you start the game, involves no words. You just start playing and have to figure things out as you go, and the game is generally set up to ensure that will work. One way it does this is by giving you occasional tips in picture form at relevant times: a representation of how to catch a frog, a warning about a danger from flood waters, etc. Those involve no words and seem to represent your own badger instincts guiding you, which is neat. The one downside of this is that there were one or two cases in which I needed some guidance, but the game didn't give me any, and I was confused about what I was meant to do. During the night-time level, I kept losing babies and had no idea why until I googled a walkthrough. And having to google a walkthrough is precisely *not* the immersive, intuitive experience the game is trying to give you.

If the only true measure of art is the emotion it inspires, then this is a work of art indeed. When you play the mother badger, you do move through a loose corridor, but it is often (particularly toward the end) quite loose. In fact, you might be scrambling to figure out where you're supposed to go. Without spoilers, this was touching, uplifting, frightening, chilling, heart-wrenching, nerve-wracking, and it will bring out the fight in you. The ending is... well, you have to see it. My hat is off to the developers, Might and Delight. Get this game if you have a heart.

This game can bring nurture instincts that maybe you didn't even suspect you had. Only the thought of losing a cub can be heartbreaking. While some deaths are cheap, I didn't mind too much as, in my mind, it compensated for a lot of other stuff that can go wrong in the real life of animals but were not represented in game. Pros: touching experience. Cons: some deaths can feel cheap. Rating: five healthy baby badgers. Recommendation: for future badger mothers and everybody else. https://pixelloot.com

I give it four stars, even though the game has it's flaws. I am a big fan of all games that are surreal, abstract and different and the idea is great. Yet the biggest flaw to me is a missing save game option (I know its a short game, but for me progressive saving option is a MUST in every game).

Shelter puts you in the position of a mother badger watching over her five badger cubs. Your goal is to roam the wilderness while finding food for your cubs and surviving the menacing hawk as well as surviving other natural obstacles such as forest fires and roaring waves. There isn't a single line of dialogue but rather a story you create for yourself with YOUR actions. Will your cubs stay fully fed? With they go hungry? Will the hawk capture any of them for lunch? Will they burn alive in the fires of the forest? Will they be swept downstream during a storm when you must find your way upriver for more food? By the time the hawk first rears it's ugly head you find yourself already growing attached to your cubs, at least I did. You make it your ultimate goal to keep them alive and nuture them as you watch them grow from cub to fully grown badger. Your ultimate goal is to make sure all five make it to adulthood. I unfortunately only could get 4 of them to the end of the game. I lost one to the natural obstacle known only as the river. This game really plays with your emotions. Fear as the hawk arrives, Joy as you catch that tricky fox, disappointment as the mouse crawls into a hole, escaping your grasp. The graphics are very unique in their art style and the soundtrack really helps you to get immersed. The game itself is very linear in its destination and the paths you take, but very open in the choices you get to make along the way. Occasionally I ran into a bug where my cubs would stand on food rather than eat it but it's nothing game-breaking. I give this a 9/10. This is a beautiful game and worth every penny, even more, even for such a short playtime. You can play it through once, play it through until you can finally save all 5 of your cubs, or simply replay it or it's extra "nuture" mode whenver you wish. Nuture mode is essentialy Tamagotchi mode ;). Definitely pick this up wen you get the chance. This is a must-play.