Armikrog

56%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,125 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
Armikrog Game Cover
Armikrog is a beautiful and challenging adventure that suffers from game breaking glitches. Fans of the genre and The Neverhood may tough it out, but most will be turned away until these bugs are fixed.
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"Armikrog" is a single-player kids' platformer game with a captivating plot, featuring space explorer Tommynaut and his blind alien dog Beak-Beak. They unravel the mysteries of a clay-animated fortress through exploration and puzzle-solving. Despite its stunning visuals, compelling music, and unique humor, the game is plagued by numerous bugs and requires lots of grinding, which can hinder the overall experience. The rich cast of voiceover talent includes well-known actors Jon Heder, Rob Paulsen, and Michael J. Nelson.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Wii
  • Wii U
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

56%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,125 reviews
story123 positive mentions
gameplay28 negative mentions
  • The claymation art style is beautiful and well-animated, capturing the charm of the original Neverhood.
  • The soundtrack, composed by Terry Scott Taylor, is catchy and adds to the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the Neverhood, with quirky characters and humor.
  • The game is very short, taking only about 3-5 hours to complete, which feels insufficient for its price.
  • Many puzzles are repetitive and lack complexity, leading to a sense of tedium during gameplay.
  • The story feels underdeveloped and lacks the depth and engagement found in the original Neverhood.
  • story521 mentions

    The story of *Armikrog* has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it underdeveloped and lacking depth compared to its predecessor, *The Neverhood*. While some appreciate the thoughtful themes and unique backstory presented through extensive text, others criticize the narrative as bland, rushed, and poorly integrated into the gameplay, leading to a forgettable experience. Overall, the game is seen as having potential but ultimately falls short in delivering a compelling and engaging story.

    • “The story is, while truncated, thoughtful and nuanced.”
    • “It honestly feels like the same idea revisited decades later by a storyteller who has had a family himself and now has a different take on his own religion because of it, and that's legitimately neat to me.”
    • “If you take the time to read the literal wall-o'-text backstory, Armikrog has some legitimately interesting Christian sci-fi ideas to it, just like The Neverhood did, and no matter how you might feel about that you have to admit it's a pretty rare thing to see, even half-finished like this ended up being.”
    • “The puzzles are repetitive and unintuitive in a bad way, and the story feels like it's missing big chunks.”
    • “Unfortunately, the size of the game and the lack of a fleshed-out story really detracted from this game.”
    • “The story was lackluster and felt like an afterthought.”
  • music475 mentions

    The music in *Armikrog* has received mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy and quirky nature, reminiscent of the original *Neverhood* soundtrack by Terry Scott Taylor. However, several players noted that the music often cuts out or is poorly compressed, detracting from the overall experience. While some tracks are memorable and contribute to the game's charm, others feel less impactful and fail to match the iconic status of its predecessor's score.

    • “The music is catchy and memorable, although be forewarned that if you get the fancy edition with the OST, they're just badly compressed MP3s, which is a shame.”
    • “The music and sound work of Armikrog is done really well, having some similarities to The Neverhood, although it does stand on its own.”
    • “The soundtrack is most definitely the highlight of Armikrog, and I find myself listening to it on my iPhone.”
    • “Ill agree with the negative reviews that the music and sound design was awful, I pretty much had the game muted for most of the second half after getting tired of that.”
    • “The game is disappointingly short, has a remarkably boring soundtrack, and tells a really rudimentary, 3-year-old-child-level story - falling very much below what Doug Tennapel is really capable of.”
    • “The music was boring, and it lacked much of the character that one sees in other claymation.”
  • graphics247 mentions

    The graphics of "Armikrog" are widely praised for their stunning claymation art style and detailed visuals, which evoke nostalgia for its predecessor, "The Neverhood." However, many reviewers note that while the aesthetics are impressive, they are often undermined by technical issues, such as graphical glitches and a lack of depth in gameplay. Overall, the visuals are considered the standout feature of the game, but they do not fully compensate for its shortcomings in story and puzzle design.

    • “The art style is gorgeous, the puzzles are fun, and the story is great.”
    • “The visuals are astounding, hand-made backgrounds, characters and overall very affectionate design.”
    • “The graphics are detailed and beautiful, and the music is amazing!”
    • “If you compare it to modern point-and-click adventure or puzzle games, Armikrog definitely looks dated, not only when it comes to the visuals, but also the controls and the menus.”
    • “The cutscenes are beautifully crafted stop-motion animations; unfortunately, the props and background during gameplay are zoomed out too far to appreciate the aesthetics of the clay figures and other materials.”
    • “Everything about this is, aside from the visuals, so subpar it broke my heart.”
  • gameplay191 mentions

    The gameplay of "Armikrog" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it features more cutscenes than actual gameplay, leading to a feeling of being more like a series of short films rather than an engaging interactive experience. While the claymation aesthetics are praised, the gameplay itself is often described as simplistic, repetitive, and marred by bugs and clunky mechanics, resulting in a frustrating experience for fans of the point-and-click genre. Overall, the game struggles to meet the expectations set by its predecessor, "The Neverhood," leaving many players disappointed with its execution.

    • “The actual gameplay is good.”
    • “The game mechanics in Armikrog are easy to learn and are refreshingly different from the Neverhood.”
    • “As a fan of point and click games from companies like LucasArts and Telltale, Armikrog is a breath of fresh air, as its lack of dialogue trees and its use of symbol-focused puzzles give it a unique gameplay experience.”
    • “You can really feel the love that went into the production of Armikrog as everything has been done as best as possible; unfortunately, it just feels a little off the mark as most of the gameplay feels padded out, slow, and more like short movies.”
    • “The gameplay is almost nonexistent, apart from a set of puzzles that are actually repeated multiple times despite being the same with extremely narrow differences.”
    • “But, sadly, everything about the gameplay itself was depressingly bad.”
  • humor122 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally viewed as lacking compared to its predecessor, "The Neverhood," with many reviewers noting a decrease in quirky and clever gags. While some moments are funny and the unique visual style retains a certain charm, the overall comedic impact is described as tame, repetitive, and at times frustratingly absent. Fans of the original may find it disappointing, though there are still some humorous elements that can be appreciated.

    • “Most of the quirky humor was still prevalent with the characters and situations, from many of the game's writers.”
    • “Great claymation, great music, challenging but not overly frustrating puzzles, plenty of humor, wacky character design and strange environments.”
    • “The puzzles can be frustrating, but the design, humor, and sheer oddity of everything is pure Doug Tennapel.”
    • “It's not funny and not at all endearing like Neverhood was.”
    • “Not funny, not so interesting, too short.”
    • “It's not funny and not at all endearing like Neverhood was.”
  • stability115 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with many users reporting frequent bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some players have noted improvements since launch, issues such as graphical glitches, sound problems, and gameplay interruptions remain prevalent. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "short," leading to frustration among players, although a few have managed to enjoy it despite these flaws.

    • “So coming into this, I had a bug-free experience that didn't affect my opinion of the game.”
    • “Played through with no glitches!”
    • “Game had no glitches for me; a couple of puzzles were a bit tedious, but every point-and-click has those.”
    • “There's no way I will finish it; it's boring, badly designed, buggy, and repetitive.”
    • “Unplayable buggy mess.”
    • “Armikrog is a beautiful and challenging adventure that suffers from game-breaking glitches.”
  • grinding35 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be characterized by tedious and often frustrating puzzles that require excessive backtracking and slow methods of solving. While some puzzles are deemed easy and thematically interesting, many reviewers express that the experience is marred by repetitive tasks and a lack of engaging gameplay, leading to a sense of annoyance rather than enjoyment. The game's short length further exacerbates the feeling of tediousness, with some players opting to watch solutions online rather than continue playing.

    • “Everything I experienced in the game is so incredibly, maddeningly, tediously slow.”
    • “Backtracking through rooms four or five times for one puzzle, needless grinding halts due to pathing, slow and meticulous methods to solving puzzles you can figure out by looking at them.”
    • “After losing a save after a very tedious and long puzzle, I decided to watch it on YouTube as it was more fun than actually playing it.”
  • atmosphere34 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating graphics and music, creating a cozy yet mysterious environment reminiscent of Tim Burton and classic animated shows. While many appreciate the depth and fun of the atmosphere, some feel it lacks the emotional weight of its predecessor, The Neverhood. Overall, the combination of art design and soundtrack contributes significantly to an immersive experience, though opinions on its lightness vary.

    • “It has great graphics and music which together create an atmosphere that you don't want to leave.”
    • “The atmosphere is awesome and super cozy, always mysterious and a bit eerie.”
    • “Positives: the music is amazing, and gives the atmosphere more depth.”
    • “The overall atmosphere of the game just didn't appeal to me as strongly as I hoped it would.”
    • “The atmosphere is too light.”
    • “Neverhood was better, but Armikrog has at least a less depressing atmosphere.”
  • character development20 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized for being minimal or non-existent, with reviewers noting a lack of depth in the story and character arcs. While the clay visuals and character designs are praised for their charm and creativity, they do not compensate for the absence of meaningful character progression. Overall, the game is seen as more focused on aesthetics and puzzles rather than developing its characters.

    • “The cinematics are fun to watch and the character designs are neat and have a weird charm.”
    • “Great claymation, great music, challenging but not overly frustrating puzzles, plenty of humor, wacky character design, and strange environments.”
    • “Armikrog is a classic-styled point-and-click adventure featuring plenty of clever puzzles, fiendish brainteasers, wacky character designs, and beautiful stop-motion animation.”
    • “Character development was non-existent.”
    • “Very little story or character development.”
    • “It feels a lot like The Neverhood, not only with the music, but character designs and the frustrating puzzles and gameplay.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its contemplative storytelling and the incorporation of faith, which resonates deeply with players. While the soundtrack features genuinely moving tracks that enhance the game's emotional weight, the overall narrative is criticized for being lackluster, leading to a bittersweet experience that contrasts ambition with reality. Despite its creative visuals, the emotional impact is somewhat undermined by a perceived boring storyline.

    • “Armikrog plays out a very sweet, heartwarming story.”
    • “Surprisingly, it's the softer, sadder tracks that work best; songs like 'Nocturne in Blue' or 'Mother is Near' are genuinely emotional in a way that you'd be hard-pressed to find on the earlier soundtracks, and they give the game's dramatic inclinations a touch of much-needed gravitas.”
    • “They're both bizarre, alien-looking structures meant to discuss the life and family of Jesus and are as well known for being unfinished (possibly unfinishable) as they are for their ambitious beauty, and the difference between that ambition and the reality is kind of heartbreaking when you imagine what might have been.”
    • “The storyline is incredibly boring.”
    • “The story lacks any emotional depth and is just plain boring.”
    • “Overall, the narrative feels dull and uninspired.”
  • replayability13 mentions

    Overall, the game has minimal replayability due to its linear structure and short playtime, with most players completing it in under 10 hours. While some may find value in speedrunning, the repetitive tasks and tedious puzzles contribute to a lack of incentive for multiple playthroughs. It is generally recommended to purchase the game on sale if interested.

    • “And this also gives the game replayability.”
    • “The game has little replay value except to see how fast you can run through it (about 1.5 hours for me the last run), so I would say this game is worth buying if it's on sale.”
    • “I expect most people will be able to wrap this game in under 10 hours with very little replay value.”
    • “Many tasks are way too similar and puzzles can be extremely tedious, occasional frustrating control issues, fairly short with very little replay value.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    Overall, the game's performance is praised for being outstanding, though some users note that the lack of clear guidance leads to confusion and aimless gameplay. Additionally, certain puzzles are criticized for needing better optimization. While some players experience glitches, others report smoother performance, suggesting a mixed experience in terms of optimization.

    • “I always try to look past the little issues, and often have great luck where others suffer glitchy performance.”
    • “The performance side of the game is outstanding but the game itself doesn't explain anything, so you're just running around like a headless chicken clicking stuff randomly.”
    • “Some puzzles could have been better optimized.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

51% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
3-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 26 analyzed playthroughs

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