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 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 significant optimization issues, leading to poor performance and frequent crashes, even on high-end systems.
- Combat mechanics are clunky and unbalanced, making encounters frustrating and often leading to quick deaths.
- There is a lack of guidance and tutorials, leaving players confused about objectives and gameplay mechanics.
- graphics294 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising their potential and beauty, particularly in landscapes and animal models. However, players have reported significant optimization issues, leading to lag and performance drops even on high-end systems, alongside various graphical glitches. Overall, while the visuals are often described as stunning or impressive, the game's performance and graphical settings management have left much to be desired.
“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.”
“First off, let me say the graphics are stunning, the main image for the game does not do it justice.”
“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.”
- story200 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is seen as a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its unique premise and potential for depth, while others criticize it for being underdeveloped and lacking clear guidance. Many reviews highlight that the narrative is often conveyed through scattered notes and loading screens rather than integrated gameplay, leading to a sense of emptiness and confusion. Overall, while the foundation of an interesting story exists, players feel it needs significant expansion and refinement to fully engage them.
“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.”
“The story is also great and unique, and as someone who loves animals and survival games, it's a perfect blend.”
“The story which is told through notes spread in some key spots is engrossing.”
“The graphics are straight out of the early 2000's (serious 'Elder Scrolls: Morrowind' vibes here), the UI is clunky, and the plot is nonexistent.”
“Probably the biggest one for me: the storyline is shallow and childish, and mostly thrown at you through loading screens.”
“It's honestly annoying because all it ever does is push those story elements in loading screens, and you don't really have a reason to care much about it since there isn't much of a storyline to really follow anyway.”
- gameplay160 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the core mechanics can be enjoyable and the environments visually appealing, the combat is often criticized as clunky and rudimentary. Numerous bugs and audio issues detract from the experience, leading to a perception of the gameplay as inconsistent and at times tedious. However, some players appreciate the game's potential and the developers' commitment to updates, suggesting that it could evolve into a more polished experience over time.
“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.”
“It's a lovely and effective combination where the music, atmosphere, and gameplay work together to make a surprisingly cohesive atmosphere.”
“The gameplay is fun and won't get old for a long time with many maps to loot and progressively get better.”
“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.”
- stability123 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, leading to a frustrating experience for many players, with issues such as crashes, freezing, and problematic animal animations. While some users acknowledge the developers' efforts to address these problems, the overall consensus is that the game feels unfinished and lacks stability, making it difficult to enjoy. Despite its potential, many recommend waiting for further updates and optimizations before diving in.
“Even with its early access state, you get a game full of content and mostly bug-free; 19 € 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.”
“Almost no glitches and almost no negatives.”
“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.”
“Very buggy and poorly developed - an abandoned passion project that 'bit off more than it could chew'.”
“It's ridiculous... this game should be free considering how many glitches and bugs there are preventing players from actually playing the game.”
- optimization109 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
The optimization of Animallica has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering, long loading times, and crashes, even on high-end PCs. Many users express frustration over the game's lack of polish and persistent bugs, suggesting that it feels unfinished despite being labeled as a completed title. While some players note minor improvements and ongoing developer support, the consensus is that significant optimization is still needed for a smoother gameplay experience.
“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 that are a few years old, but in mid or lower settings).”
“Yes, there are lately a few bugs and a big hit in performance, but I have no doubt at all that this will be solved soon, because I have never ever experienced such passionate devs before.”
“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.”
“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 game is clearly lacking optimization.”
- music93 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature, often likening it to background tracks from simulation games. While some appreciate the peaceful and atmospheric qualities of the soundtrack, others find it jarring due to abrupt transitions and a lack of variety, leading to a diminished immersive experience. Overall, the music can enhance the gameplay for some, but many recommend turning it off in favor of personal playlists to avoid frustration.
“It's a lovely and effective combination where the music, atmosphere, and gameplay work together to make a surprisingly cohesive atmosphere.”
“I play in the peaceful mode and the music is so good, the gameplay is fantastic, the concept of capturing, curing, and taming animals is excellent.”
“The music is delightful.”
“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), enemies will just spawn in front of your face, the models don't match at all (giant goo eggs in the middle of greenery, mutants, gasmask zombies, and demonic ninjas?), when something is killed or destroyed it just disappears- no animation or fadeout, just gone, sometimes your shots will hit normally but sometimes your arrows go straight through an enemy's model without hitting it, many buildings are completely empty, sometimes you cannot pick up items or use water pumps no matter how you try to move around them, and other issues.”
“The music are merely a couple of songs repeating over and over, making you really feel like you're in a sim RPG game.”
- grinding58 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a significant point of contention among players, with many finding the resource gathering and crafting processes tedious and time-consuming, especially when building high-tier structures or accumulating currency. While some players appreciate the depth of crafting and the game's survival elements, others feel that the excessive grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to a repetitive experience. Despite these criticisms, there are players who enjoy the exploration and farming elements, suggesting that the game has potential for those who appreciate a grind-heavy gameplay style.
“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.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as a beautiful and cohesive blend of music, gameplay, and diverse biomes, creating a relaxing and immersive experience. While some players find certain elements odd or empty, the overall aesthetic, including well-fitting fauna and flora, enhances the game's appeal. However, occasional gameplay mechanics, like purchasing materials, can detract from the otherwise captivating atmosphere.
“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.”
“The few shortcomings are made up for by the sheer beauty of the game, and the relaxing atmosphere.”
- humor20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a quirky and dry sense of humor that enhances the overall experience, particularly when players embrace its whimsical elements. Many find the interactions, such as the amusing voice prompts and unexpected jumpscares, to be both entertaining and funny, contributing to a lighthearted atmosphere amidst a dystopian setting. Overall, players appreciate the humor as a delightful aspect of exploration and gameplay.
“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.”
“Almost fell off my chair I was laughing so hard!”
- monetization5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Monetization in many mobile games is criticized for relying on misleading advertisements that often bear no relation to the actual gameplay, leading to a sense of distrust among players. Additionally, there is frustration over intrusive ads and data collection practices, prompting many users to prefer offline play. Some games are perceived as cash grabs, with significant price drops from their initial beta costs, further fueling dissatisfaction with their monetization strategies.
“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.”
“I have grown very tired of all the game developers that think it's ok to connect me to the internet for displaying their ads, stealing my gameplay data, etc. so any more I almost always play offline.”
“Many mobile games will advertise it, but the advertisements are fake and have nothing to do with the game 98% of the time.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a lack of emotional connection to the game world, feeling more focused on survival mechanics than on narrative engagement. However, some attention to detail, such as graves with emotional props and lively cabins, offers glimpses of depth that could enhance the emotional experience. Overall, the emotional impact appears limited despite these details.
“There are some attention to details: graves with emotional props, cabins almost full of life.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development has been criticized for its poor voice acting and unconvincing character design, which detracts from the overall experience. Many players find these elements to be subpar, impacting their engagement with the characters.
“The voice acting and character design are laughable at this point, as well as the sound effects.”
“The character development feels shallow and uninspired, making it hard to connect with anyone in the game.”
“There is a lack of meaningful choices that affect character growth, leaving the development feeling linear and unengaging.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game lacks random map generation, leading to limited replayability; once players complete all available maps, there are few incentives to return, highlighting a need for features that could enhance replay value, similar to those found in games like Terraria or Starbound.
“It doesn't have randomly generated maps, so once you're done with all the maps, there's nothing else to do. We need something like in Terraria or even Starbound for endless replay value.”
“It lacks random map generation, which means that after completing all the maps, there's little incentive to play again. A system similar to Terraria or Starbound would greatly enhance replayability.”
“Without random generation of maps, the game feels limited. Once you've finished all the content, there's not much left to keep you engaged. Incorporating elements from games like Terraria or Starbound could provide the replay value that's missing.”
