The game does what it sets out to do well - it conveys a relatable, poetic visual story through gameplay of puzzling together personal effects of a lifetime on the move; my gripe is about some design choices which, in my playing of the game, took something away from the whole experience. A technical choice regarding the pixel graphics, which is cool when done well (it is done very well here) but clearly is a low-budget option that also comes with the downside of keeping the camera angle still - and that's where it hurts gameplay, on a few occasions where objects get hidden behind scene elements because the perspective view is static. A design choice of following one character, which adds to the emotional interest but makes the game very short. Perhaps the creators will add DLCs for other characters one day; It's hard to critique this point because there's only so many times one active person can move out and into places in her life, and yet... gameplay-wise it curtails the experience too much. Finally, the asking price, which in light of the previous points as well as the fact the game offers no replayability whatsoever (except for a couple achievements you can always go back for) makes it hard for me to recommend the game. I know I'm cheap, but I usually don't mind paying extra for a game that I can come back to, but this one can be exhausted in a sitting if you want to, without much trouble. If you're intrigued by the theme and mechanic- as I was - and think you can overlook my caveats, you'll probably enjoy this game enough if only for a few hours.
Just answering a common complaint like the one by Mikeavelli right before me, about the AI being faulty and making micromanagement impossible to enjoy the game. Mike and the others didn't seem to have given the game and its systems enough of a try because everything he says is incorrect: Once you set which buildings can take which specializations, you won't have to worry about any specific buildings you have set this to (there's even an option that lets you make your choice for all buildings of the same type by Ctrl + left-clicking; Colonists never really get stuck, they can even move across disconnected domes by actually walking out of them and jump-walking over Mars' surface... not ideal but it does work - the ideal scenario falls on you to make it easier for them, for drones, and everything else to do whatever tasks they're supposed to do with minimal effort, and here the AI shines. It feels unfriendly at first but once you realize how to interfere to make your supply chains and logistics work seamlessly, it feels rewarding... and you have many ways to do so, from placing your depots sensibly (and selecting which and how much of which resources they're supposed to store), adjusting the number of drones per hub as well as the service area of both hubs and rovers, and connecting domes through passages and shuttle hubs; The bigger your colony gets naturally the longer it'll take the AI to react but it's never really long at all... it just won't happen right away always (though it does often enough): sometimes a colonist you've assigned a different building is busy having a drink, or visiting a garden or infirmary... if you bookmark them and check back after a minute or two you'll see they've followed through your orders flawlessly - this can also be helped by expanding your shuttle network, which in turn gets better by researching techs that increase shuttles per hub, their speed and cargo capacity. Other than quarantining their dome, colonists never get stuck.
You take up the role of Claire, an infant - teen! - hawk who's going on a leisure trip with her dad for a few days. As a typical teenager, Claire brings along her cell phone but in this remote resort there's no reception... oh. Her aunt May is a ranger at Hawk Peak Park and so Claire begins her impromptu quest in this little paradise of mountain, lake, forest, treasure, friends, adventure... to get that cell phone dinging, uh! Graphics and animations are simple yet polished, and full of flair. There's a slider to adjust the level of pixelation, from "blocky" all the way to "seamless." Sound effects are also trimmed down yet on point to your character's actions and achievements, and by "achievements' I mean finding special items that progress your moving, running, gliding, jumping and climbing, as well as learning to fish, dig for treasure, cracking rocks and sealed passages, and piloting a motorboat, among other fun perks. All these tasks function in a theme-park sort of way - they flesh out gameplay with exploration and collection. Music is also pleasant and thematically designed to reflect on your location in the Park and stage in the hike. The writing and dialogues are especially good, upbeat, quippy, and sure to make you laugh and feel good about playing this sweet little gem of a game. It's more than relaxing - it's therapeutic. It's always on a positive tone which makes this game perfect for children to follow the lighthearted journey of this wacky, golden birdy. On a more subtle note, the hike serves as a soft metaphor for the process of coming of age and maturing your mind and character before the quirks of society and life. Claire gets to meet a number of "people" in her wanderings: a stressing bunny, a racing turtle, a sun-loving frog, and many more. The whole plot and ambience seems to have been carefully put together like such a flavorful children's book that even adults enjoy reading and playing around with. Gameplay is interesting, engaging and as complex as it can be while being still simple enough for a child to pick up. The game even gives you the option to remap your keybindings, something that many bigger and more complex games don't do. Your main storyline so to speak is to follow the main trail and reach the top of the peak, which can be done in different ways over different timeframes... and which bookends your starting plot upon completion in a very endearing way. All in all a very cute game and a memorable experience for gamers of all ages and inclinations. Personally I'd love for the author(s) to make a sequel or even a series, would definitely support on Kickstarter or however.
