Shelter 2

Shelter 2 is a great but niche game, it really stands out from the generic yearly titles spewed out by the big publishers these days. It's the kind of game that makes me love indie developers. I haven't played Shelter, but I've always loved big cats (and the not so big!) so I thought I'd try it out. Graphicly it's nothing to shout about, low poly models and basic texturing. However, the games artistic approach is what sets it apart. Yeah it may not be Cry Engine 3 stuff, but that doesn't matter because it's patchwork style textures are really charming and I love them. Gameplay wise, it's a little repetitive and I feel that this is a real "marmite" game. Either you'll love it and have multiple playthroughs or you'll spend half an hour in it and then never play it again. The core of the game is raising your cubs from newborns to adulthood. You need to hunt, provide food to avert starvation and protect them from predators (wolves in this case) and any environmental hazards however I've yet to really meet any. This is where the game seems to fall short sometimes. In Shelter although it was more liner there were instances where you had to protect your family from forest fires but there doesn't seem to be anything like that here. I can't help but feel there are missed opportunities to introduce some more depth to the game than simply catching prey and avoiding wolf packs. Perhaps a menu to view your cubs progress in detail, it's easy to forget their names since you can't seem to view them after the initial "birth scene" in the den. However, in the grand scheme of things these are relatively minor details. The core game is solid, and while there are some performance issues here and there I haven't encountered any game breaking bugs. For the money you're spending, you owe it to yourself to at least try this game if for no other reason that to support a great indie developer who I'm sure we'll see even higher quality games from in the future!

A gorgeous, somewhat melancholy experience that drives home its bittersweet message with staggering grace. The unique visual style is a joy to behold, and the gameplay simplistic, yet challenging. Eliciting sympathy without being saccharine, expressing harshness without being unfair, this game is a small and brilliant jewel amidst a sea of pebbles. A truly unique and captivating concept executed with refined flair and consideration.

Beautiful game. I recommend it to anyone who loves nature and animals. But if you get sad easily, don't get it. Your babies die and grow up and leave you, and you can't follow them. I become attached to my babies then when they leave I fall apart. haha, anyway, i would like to know if you can change your colour and not be the same colours over and over. and if you want more of a challenge, Get the mountains DLC but don't blame me if a fox eats your babies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY-t68Gr1U4 First Shelter had a touching "story" and was divided into levels, this one has practically non-existant story and an open world. You run around and hunt rabbits (and sometimes deer, rats or frogs) to feed your cubs, collect sticks, flowers and feathers and that's basicaly it. No scripted events, no running from fire, no memorable moments, which is a shame. Of course you get attached to your kids and when something happens to them, you feel sad, but it's not as strong as in the first part. Game has a very calming soundtrack and unique visual style so it sounds and looks well. It's not as good as the first one, but still entertaining.