Animal Gods

About

Animal Gods is an old-school, top / down action game. Play as Thistle, a bounty hunter from 1500 BC Europe. Discover a lost world. Stop an occult leader. Defeat the cursed gods.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

38%

Audience ScoreBased on 69 reviews

story22 positive mentions

gameplay14 negative mentions

The art style is absolutely beautiful and unique, appealing to fans of 2D visuals.
The soundtrack is fitting and has some relaxing elements, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
The game offers a short but intriguing experience, with a story that encourages exploration through diary entries.

The gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, often feeling tedious and unchallenging.
The pacing is slow, with frustrating controls and mechanics that can lead to a lack of engagement.
The story feels incomplete and disjointed, leaving players with more questions than answers and failing to create a meaningful connection with the characters.

gameplay
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
63%
25%
The gameplay in "Animal Gods" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and lacking in depth. While the mechanics are straightforward and the controls function well, the limited variety and tedious dungeon designs lead to frustration rather than engagement. Despite the game's artistic appeal, the gameplay often feels uninspired and fails to deliver a compelling challenge, leaving players wanting more from the experience.
- “Gameplay is good; in one temple, you learn how to use a sword, in another a bow, and by the last ability, you learn to dash.”
- “I'm having a blast with the flame cloak, and I enjoy that it's challenging without relying on panic and twitch mechanics, being that I'm no longer in my teens.”
- “Each dungeon provides you with a singular mechanic to play with; the snake dungeon gives you a sword, the spider dungeon gives you a bow, and the lion dungeon gives you a 'flame cloak' that will teleport you forward a short distance.”
- “I played through one dungeon which had a tedious and boring mechanic and couldn't bring myself to play any more.”
- “The artsy feeling of the game doesn't go well with the little gameplay content, annoying pacing, and achievement frustration, making it too expensive for the experience it provides.”
- “Animal Gods ultimately promises more than it can deliver on; the graphics will draw you in but the gameplay will let you down.”
story
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
56%
5%
The story of the game is presented through diary entries, offering a puzzling and poetic narrative that some players find intriguing, while others feel it lacks depth and coherence. Although there are glimpses of interesting themes and backstory, many reviewers criticize the storytelling as disjointed and underwhelming, with gameplay that detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the art and setting are appreciated, the story is seen as too light and not impactful enough to elevate the game.
- “It has a puzzling story told by diary entries, something that reminds me of Braid storytelling, with a bit of poetry in its writing.”
- “The story and setting are intriguing.”
- “It’s an experience, exploring every nook and cranny for pieces of diary that tie together the story, trying to understand what allegory the game is trying to present to the player - my bet is on the Aztecs and their rather unfortunate meeting with the Europeans.”
- “So yeah, overall, I hope the dev makes something better in the future, because this game just isn't fun or even that interesting. There are glimpses of neat ideas in its story, but drops them off almost immediately.”
- “The story is a little too light, and told in a disjointed style that makes it unclear what it is even about.”
- “The enemies are merely boxes; the story suggests they are more, but it doesn't come through in the gameplay.”
graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
52%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and intriguing art style, creating a magical ambiance that many players find captivating. However, some reviewers note inconsistencies and a lack of polish, suggesting that while the visuals are a strong point, they may not fully compensate for shortcomings in gameplay. Overall, the graphics are seen as the core appeal of the game, attracting those who prioritize art and atmosphere over gameplay mechanics.
- “First off, the art style is absolutely beautiful. I really hope the devs continue using this style in their future games.”
- “Graphics: beautiful and intriguing, the core of this game.”
- “Great visuals, music, and atmosphere.”
- “Could use a graphical retouch here and there, because you can see a lot of hasty stitches.”
- “The gameplay leaves me wanting and the graphics are very very uneven.”
- “The most immediately upsetting factor is the way the game appears to try and disguise the cheapness of its graphics as a stylistic choice.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
57%
12%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it beautiful and evocative, while others describe it as repetitive and grating over time. While the soundtrack complements the game's stunning visuals and ambiance, its looping nature can lead to frustration, detracting from the overall experience for some players. Ultimately, the music is seen as a double-edged sword, enhancing the atmosphere but potentially becoming a source of irritation during extended play.
- “The art is beautiful and unique, which pleases the eyes of a 2D lover, and the soundtrack is very unusual.”
- “Normally I mute sound very quickly, but this game contains a variety of musical themes that are very evocative.”
- “The game plays out as long stretches of beautiful scenery and music, punctuated by an 'animal god dungeon', where you gain access to a single ability to use through the dungeon.”
- “Not to mention that the soundtrack gets grating after a while, really really grating. I thought I was going insane as I died over and over again to the platforming.”
- “Aside from the two hours it takes to complete, the minimal story elements, and the mostly irritating music, Animal Gods reminds me of the tutorial section of a Zelda game.”
- “The music, which was immediately striking, was set on loop for the entirety of my playtime such that I truly had no motivation to keep hitting boxes.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unengaging, often describing it as a boring slog with repetitive mechanics that lack variety. Many express frustration with the need to follow a rigid strategy, leading to a lack of excitement and motivation to continue playing.
- “The gameplay is a tedious and unrewarding slog with no heart.”
- “Additionally, the gameplay is quite tedious when trying to overcome the enemy obstacles; you'll find yourself standing slightly away from a box's path to slash at them with the sword, or waiting for the appropriate time to shoot your bow, and you never have to deviate your strategy.”
- “I played through one dungeon which had a tedious and boring mechanic and couldn't bring myself to play any more.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its stunning visuals and captivating music, creating a unique and engaging experience for players.
- “Great visuals, music, and atmosphere.”
- “The art and atmosphere are unique and engaging.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the game's emotional depth, noting its blend of polished action reminiscent of classic titles like "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds" with a cast of characters and poignant story moments that evoke the nostalgia of 90's JRPGs. This combination creates a compelling narrative experience that resonates with players on an emotional level.
- “Kickstarted this game after reading the description: 'The game pairs the tight and polished action of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds with a cast of characters and touching story moments that might remind you of classic 90's JRPGs.'”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's replayability is somewhat limited, as players report frustrating bugs that prevent the unlocking of specific achievements. However, it does introduce a new mode called "9-lives" after completion, offering a chance to replay the game, albeit with a slow pacing that may deter some players.
- “There are reports that the game is bugging and not giving a specific achievement, which will frustrate achievers. The game unlocks a new mode called '9-lives' after you beat it, which offers a little replayability, if you want to suffer through the ultra slow pacing again.”

45%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Animal Gods - Hardly Even A Game
While Animal Gods is beautiful and charming to look at, the gameplay is simple and feels extremely generic.
Techraptor.net
45%

Buy Animal Gods

Videos

66%1.1kreviews

Mushroom 11

2015

Action Adventure

57%296reviews

Toby: The Secret Mine

2015

Platformer

+16

77%1.2kreviews

The Way

2016

Arcade Platformer

83%1.9kreviews

Nihilumbra

2013

Casual Platformer

+13

61%878reviews

Toren

2015

Action Adventure

83%634reviews

Unbound:Worlds Apart

2021

Role Playing

73%227reviews

World to the West

2017

Role Playing

+10

83%4.5kreviews

Hob

2017

Open World Action Adventure

72%748reviews

Forward to the Sky

2015

Casual Role Playing

86%1.5kreviews

Arise: A Simple Story

2019

Action Adventure

Animal Gods

Platforms

About

Animal Gods - Hardly Even A Game

Buy Animal Gods

Animal Gods Steam Key GLOBAL

Animal Gods

Videos

Games Like Animal Gods

Mushroom 11

Toby: The Secret Mine

The Way

Nihilumbra

Toren

Unbound:Worlds Apart

World to the West

Hob

Forward to the Sky

Arise: A Simple Story