Animallica
- March 5, 2022
- Animallica Games Studio
- 20h median play time
Get on Steam"Animallica" is a single-player simulation/adventure game set in a post-apocalyptic world where Earth's animals are on the brink of extinction. As the last conservationist, you must explore varied landscapes, craft survival gear, and maintain a facility for the remaining creatures. Despite some bugs and grinding, the game offers pretty visuals, good gameplay, hilarious moments, and a compelling atmosphere.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a unique concept of saving and taming animals in a post-apocalyptic world, which is engaging and enjoyable.
- The graphics are beautiful, with diverse biomes and environments that enhance the exploration experience.
- The developers are responsive and actively update the game, addressing bugs and adding new content regularly.
- The game suffers from performance issues and bugs, making it difficult to play smoothly on lower-end systems.
- Combat mechanics are clunky and unbalanced, with enemies often being too fast and difficult to manage.
- There is a lack of clear guidance or tutorials, which can lead to confusion for new players trying to understand the game mechanics.
- graphics147 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and diverse landscapes, while others criticize the optimization issues that lead to lag and performance problems, even on high-end systems. Some players note that the graphics can feel dated or inconsistent, with a blend of high-quality environments and clunky models. Overall, while the aesthetic appeal is acknowledged, significant improvements in optimization and graphical fidelity are needed for a smoother experience.
“The graphics are amazing as well.”
“The visuals are beautiful and the world is mysterious and vast, with lots of little things hidden away to be discovered as you explore.”
“Animallica ticks all the boxes for me, and to top it, the graphics are gorgeous.”
“Animals stutter, teleport, and fall into the terrain; resources go missing when rearranging storage; optimization is so bad that I can't maintain 60fps on high graphics (with grass, camera effects, and extras turned off) without my computer hitting 99°C.”
“The graphics are awful and the textures are disgusting.”
“The graphics look like something from the 90's and the whole game seems sloppily thrown together.”
- story101 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as having potential but is often criticized for being underdeveloped and lacking depth, with many players noting that it feels sparse after the initial introduction. While some appreciate the lore found in notes and the unique premise of saving animals, others find the narrative confusing and poorly integrated into gameplay, leading to a sense of emptiness in the world. Overall, the story is seen as a promising aspect that could benefit from further development and clearer guidance.
“The story is really engaging, and part of why I bought a copy of Animalica so quickly after launch.”
“I personally love this game, the story is interesting and the gameplay is fun.”
“It has a great storyline, good gameplay, and lots to do.”
“The graphics are straight out of the early 2000s, the UI is clunky, and the plot is nonexistent.”
“The story... I can't even.”
“There's a lot of different maps, so much to explore but also little to no explanations, which is normally fine, but I feel like there should be some sort of story; it feels rather lonely.”
- gameplay81 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of enjoyment and frustration, with many players appreciating the core mechanics and potential for fun, particularly in crafting and exploration. However, issues such as clunky combat, numerous bugs, and a lack of challenge detract from the overall experience, leading to a perception of the gameplay as inconsistent and sometimes monotonous. While some players find the game engaging and worth the price, others express a desire for significant improvements and updates to enhance the overall gameplay experience.
“In the first moments of gameplay, there was a vibrant mix of different style graphics, from the concept or graphic novel art style to high definition and ultra realistic.”
“The gameplay is fun and won't get old for a long time with many maps to loot and progressively get better.”
“There's plenty to do, the gameplay is engaging and not tedious, and the mutants and infected humans are actually creepy enough to give me a little jolt here and there.”
“Even supposing that you like the premise, the game pace is slow, and gameplay is boring.”
“The battle mechanics are just bad, the crafting needs some improvement, the crafting tiers are somewhat unclear, and the gameplay is clunky.”
“The gameplay is admittedly very lifeless and monotonous as you're mostly just playing 'keep away' with enemies at long range because close combat melee is pointless.”
- stability61 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay. While some users acknowledge the developers' efforts to address these issues, many describe the game as feeling unfinished and akin to an early access title, with persistent problems affecting immersion and enjoyment. Overall, the consensus is that while the game has potential, it currently suffers from a lack of polish and stability.
“Almost no glitches and almost no negatives.”
“Even with its early access state, you get a game full of content and mostly bug-free. The 19 € I spent have already paid off for me.”
“If you want a polished, bug-free game, then wait until it goes into full release. But if you want to be part of an active community, helping the devs realize their dreams as well as those of the players, then this is the game for you.”
“The premise is good and I love a good open-world exploration game where fighting is optional and the focus is on conservation rather than destruction, but it runs like absolute garbage and crashes and freezes constantly.”
“There are still a lot of bugs and glitches with this game (mobs falling through the world, animals despawning in front of you, horse with terrible coding that gets stuck on bird nests).”
“A buggy mess of mismatched and out-of-place assets haphazardly slapped into the world with no direction or sense of identity.”
- optimization54 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
The optimization of Animallica has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering, long loading times, and crashes, even on high-end PCs. Despite some claims of recent improvements, the game is still considered poorly optimized, requiring significant hardware to run smoothly, and many users recommend waiting for further updates before playing. Overall, the game's lack of polish and persistent bugs detract from the experience, leaving it feeling unfinished and frustrating.
“The game went through a rocky road when it comes to being built in an old engine as well with optimization flaws, it has been optimized since a good while ago but it may be a bit far from perfection, so check if you have an acceptable PC rig to play it (you may be able to play it with PC parts a few years old, but in mid or lower settings).”
“Overall it runs smoothly for me and the devs are making adjustments and changes.”
“There's lots to gather in this game, and the developers are making sure we can all find what we need to decorate as much as we want. The game performance has improved a lot since I first wrote this review, and I think the game looks pretty good on 'medium' graphics, but you'll need a good computer to run the graphics on high or ultra.”
“Animallica claims to be out of beta and a completed game, but the lack of polish, optimization, and the sheer amount of bugs still plaguing it make it obvious that the devs just gave up on continuing to develop it any further.”
“Optimization is trash, not as bad as Ark: Survival Evolved but still very poor.”
“The game is clearly lacking optimization.”
- music48 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it repetitive and jarring, particularly when it abruptly shifts from peaceful tunes to intense battle music without any fade. While some appreciate the atmospheric and region-specific soundtracks that enhance the gameplay experience, others recommend turning it off entirely in favor of personal playlists due to its lack of variety and occasional overwhelming sound effects. Overall, the music contributes to the game's ambiance but may detract from immersion for some players.
“It's a lovely and effective combination where the music, atmosphere, and gameplay work together to make a surprisingly cohesive atmosphere.”
“The game provides many very atmospheric terrains with well-fitting music and animals which belong in the given environment.”
“For the game soundtrack, it's the best game music I've ever had the luck to listen to.”
“The music is repetitive and the sound effects in general are buggy.”
“The music doesn't fade at all (you'll be listening to peaceful music when metal starts playing out of nowhere with no source because an enemy has shown up somewhere).”
“The music are merely a couple of songs repeating over and over, making you really feel like you're in a sim RPG game.”
- grinding29 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it tedious and time-consuming, especially when gathering resources for crafting and building high-tier structures. While some appreciate the depth of crafting and the sense of progression through farming and exploration, others feel that the excessive grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, particularly when it comes to acquiring necessary materials and currency. Recent updates have introduced farming mechanics and NPC assistance, which may alleviate some of the grind, but the need for significant resource gathering remains a common point of frustration.
“The crafting is complex and requires a lot of materials for higher-end building, but it is not grindy at all.”
“I find it really hard to get all of that gold while playing the game normally, and if you focus on just getting the gold for this achievement, it gets very painful, boring, and tedious very quickly.”
“As for the game itself, it's decent until you get to the part of building high-tier structures. I say this because of the 'grinding' aspect; it's insane how many items you need to build some things, and even more aggravating to get ungodly amounts of 'silver coins' just to upgrade or buy weapons.”
“Usually, I love crafting, but in this game it is extremely grindy and tedious.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as both beautiful and cohesive, effectively blending music, gameplay, and diverse biomes to create an immersive experience. While some players find it occasionally odd or empty, the overall sentiment highlights the relaxing and atmospheric qualities that enhance the gameplay. The attention to detail in flora, fauna, and environmental design contributes significantly to the game's charm, despite minor shortcomings.
“It's a lovely and effective combination where the music, atmosphere, and gameplay work together to make a surprisingly cohesive atmosphere.”
“The game provides many very atmospheric terrains with well-fitting music and animals that belong in the given environment.”
“The few shortcomings are made up for by the sheer beauty of the game, and the relaxing atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere just feels odd and empty.”
“This aspect can be very important to many players as a dodgy unbalanced atmosphere in a game can destroy it as much as it can make it.”
“+ there are diverse areas (biomes) with unique flora and fauna, cultural influence, and atmosphere (music, post-processing, level design).”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as quirky and amusing, often providing a lighthearted contrast to its dystopian themes. Players find joy in the game's dry wit, unexpected jumpscares, and amusing interactions with the environment, such as the antics of a dog and the humorous voice prompts. Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making exploration enjoyable and entertaining.
“I've made it a few hours into gameplay and the game manages to take an otherwise dystopian story and fill it with wonder, beauty, hope, and humor.”
“There is a dry humor in the game.”
“Its kinda funny though cause I have to 'park' my horse just right in the shack or my dog pushes him all over the place.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with a significant price drop from its original beta cost, and users express frustration over misleading advertisements and intrusive online connectivity for ad display and data collection. Many players prefer to play offline to avoid these issues.
“Honestly looking back at this game now, it feels like a cash grab because it used to be $20-$30 during beta and now you can purchase it for a measly $5.”
“Many mobile games will advertise it, but the advertisements are fake and have nothing to do with the game 98% of the time.”
“I have grown very tired of all the game developers that think it's okay to connect me to the internet for displaying their ads, stealing my gameplay data, etc. so anymore I almost always play offline.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a lack of emotional connection to the game, feeling more focused on survival mechanics than on the narrative or world-building. However, some details, such as graves with poignant props and lively cabins, hint at deeper emotional layers that could enhance the experience.
“There are some attention to details: graves with emotional props, cabins almost full of life.”
“The game immerses you in a world that evokes deep feelings, making every moment feel significant.”
“The narrative and character development truly resonate, leaving a lasting emotional impact.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development has been criticized for its poor voice acting and laughable character design, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The voice acting and character design are laughable at this point, as well as the sound effects.”
“Character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving little room for player connection.”
“The characters lack depth and their arcs are predictable, making it hard to stay invested in the story.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game lacks random generation maps, which limits its replayability; once players complete all available maps, there are few incentives to return, suggesting a need for features that enhance replay value, similar to those found in games like Terraria or Starbound.
“It doesn't have randomly generated maps, so I guess once you're done with all the maps, there's nothing else to do. We'd need something like in Terraria or even Starbound for endless replay value.”
“After completing the game, I found little incentive to replay it. The lack of variety in missions and environments makes it feel repetitive.”
“Once you've experienced the story, there's not much left to draw you back in. The game lacks the depth and variety needed for true replayability.”
