Words don't describe the first time experience with a game like this. I'm dead serious when I say this game will leave an impression on you and make you wish you could forget it just so you can reexperience it all over again! The art, the world building, the environments, the character designs, the characters themselves, the MUSIC, the wide range of fight sequences and abilities, it all comes together so, so well, and you truly feel accomplished when you finally "complete" this game!! There is a lot of replay-ability with this one. There are many secrets, many locations, many characters, many "builds" you can give yourself, and multiple endings to play for!! You can spend hours on this game and still discover new things! It's incredibly atmospheric, and it's easy to become absorbed in this game. This game is truly ART! Dare I say, $15 is way too generous of a price for something as insanely well made as this!
To put it shortly, this game is beautiful. The art style is everything I could have hoped for, the mechanics are simple but satisfying, and the music is very pretty and unique! Shelter 2 is by no means the most impressive game in the world. But it is a game I can say is perfect for anyone who enjoys nature and the chance to experience an artistic animal survival with low pressure gameplay. The main focus, of course, is to protect and raise cubs. And it does ensure you have a fair number of challenges to expect, should you encounter them! But it's a very easy game to grasp and learn, and once you do, it's pretty easy to raise all your beautiful babies safe and healthy! <3 I will admit, there is not much that can be said about this game, in retrospect. But that does not mean it is bad or not enjoyable. Shelter 2 is not a complicated game. It has no lore, no expectations (outside of your cub's wellbeing), and it is not a very long game either. It's simply an experience. And for the people who enjoy games like Shelter 2, it's an amazing experience! But I would not go into this expecting a survival game that's the standard of others, like Wolf Quest for example. It knows what it wants to be, and it does it wonderfully in my opinion. I view it as art, and it's something that can be played over and over with no issues! In my personal opinion, it's a great game to relax and pass the time with <3 Also, since I'm saying this on the Mountain's DLC, I will like to add: The DLC does definitely add more to the game! It's really nice to have more prey species and threats to make the experience feel more realistic, but beware that it can be harder to stomach losing your cub to a fox or a hawk, because Might and Delight decided to add SCREAMING sound effects to the babies when they get grabbed ): Over-all, It's a pretty standard but neat DLC. It doesn't drastically change the game, but it does give it more life!
I got this game a few years back, close to when it first came out. Today i've installed it again because, and without a doubt, i have no regrets getting it. This game is basically everything i could want in an animal survival themed experience! The world is large, and gorgeously styled, and the soundtracks are so fitting and lovely that i found myself listening to them outside of the game on their own! Not to mention the emotional tugging it gave to my heart as i raised my cubs and watched them set off on their own after the long journey of motherhood.... Honestly, this game is stunning, and very well worth the pay! MightAndDelight dont get enough attention for what they make, in my opinion.
