SINS OF THE FEATHER
Also for: Linux, Macintosh, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One
Owlboy is a mostly forgotten indie gem from Norwegian developer
D-Pad Studio. It's but the second time I've controlled an owl as the
protagonist in a game, the first being the Amiga-exclusive horizontal shooter
Agony, released back in 1992. The two games have amazing visual
aesthetics in common, utilizing detailed
backgrounds to add great visual storytelling to the experience. Their worlds seem alive and mysterious, qualities that make them expand in the player's mind.
At a glance, Agony and Owlboy look like they could stem from the same era. But behind
its classic, colorful facade, Owlboy feels decidedly more modern in its gameplay, mixing different genre elements in ways the old, pure shooter never did. It's a sidescrolling platformer without much jumping, as well as a
metroidvania without much exploration. An often soothing soundtrack perfectly captures the freedom of flying. The game was reportedly in production
for nearly ten years, but pixellated beauty never grows old. Owlboy has many timeless qualities.
The big, breezy world consists of islands floating in mid-air. You flap through blue skies and careen through cramped dungeons. Whoops, the way
ahead is blocked, maybe you need to find a switch or a pressure pad. The gate
opens and whoops, it's an enemy base so you'd better resort
to stealth. Whoops, you got detected so you'd better pull out the guns. You flee, avoiding spikes and traps whilst looking for the exit. Holy moly, it'll be
sweet to return home to your village later to upgrade your equipment and "talk" to your pals.
If only you could. As the titular
owlboy, Otus, you're mute. I'm usually no fan of silent protagonists, but the
animator does a commendable job providing Otus with personality through
body language and facial expressions. The story portrays him as a troubled
youngster with social anxiety. This stems from his strict owl mentor, Asio,
who's brutally harsh in his criticisms, which is portrayed splendidly in the
opening nightmare sequence.
The story is comic book seriousness beneath a bright, playful facade. It kicks off with your home village being invaded by a huge band
of pirates, who terrorize the world in search of a few ancient relics of
immersurable power. As Otus, you team up with your best buddy, Geddy, to put a
stop to their pillaging. Along the way, you learn of the owls' shady history
of meddling with the forces of nature. It turns out the "wise" owls might be the architects of their own potential demise.
Geddy is a gunner who hangs on by your talons. He acts as your weapon, as you
defend against the enemy. At certain story points, new companions add new
weapons with different properties. Through a handy teleportation device you
can call on any of them and toggle between them in an instant. Geddy wields a reliable peashooter, but a later companion wields a powerful shotgun and yet another one a handy sticky gun. Each weapon also has puzzle solving properties.
Every location ends with a boss fight, and whilst not particularly memorable,
nor challenging, they force you to think creatively with the limited
moveset you've got. You can dash to avoid enemy fire, make a spinning attack,
throw stuff and call on one of your armed pals. The aiming isn't precise but
the large sprites don't require great marksmanship. I beat most bosses in my
first try, although with very little health left. Luckily, Otus recovers
health by eating berries and turnips from his surroundings.
The cast of characters, consisting of a range of humans and antropomorphic
animals, is great, but they're largely left undeveloped. Some side characters'
stories just peter out, others feel half-finished. Nothing becomes of the possible
romance between Geddy and a female villager. A couple of bullies, Fib and
Bonacci, are particularly mean towards Otus in the beginning, but are hardly
seen again. And the final boss isn't the one the story would have you expect.
As the end credits rolled, I thought I'd failed to gather enough collectibles
to reach the "true" ending.
In terms of exploration, I never felt the fear of missing out, because there's
not a lot of useful stuff to find. The coins you get from half-buried treasure
chests and Superman 64-esque rings can be exchanged for cosmetics or non-essential weapon upgrades
back in the village. Just like any retro- or vintage game, Owlboy is a great palate
cleanser between massive open-world games. It's pretty and charming as hell. According to
my GOG Galaxy client, I played for exactly 11 hours, which feels inaccurately
long.
I guess time just... flew. Har, har, har.
This review is probably my shortest yet, because I feel like I've covered
about everything you need to know. What makes Owlboy so captivating is
its simplistic, old-school progression. Nothing about the game feels unique, but
it's expertly designed with great pace and responsive controls. Different
sorts of gameplay come and go, never overstaying its welcome, and no part is
faulty or dull. Owlboy tested my wits as well as my reflexes, and
hooked me with a fine narrative that unfortunately didn't quite pay off in the
end. And there's poetic justice in a game about flying that never sets one foot wrong.
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