Creatures of Ava

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In "Creatures of Ava," become a nature explorer and save unique creatures on planet Ava, who are succumbing to an infection. Play as Vic, exploring 4 distinct ecosystems, taming over 20 creatures with a musical flute, and discovering the secrets of Ava and Vic's past. Your mission is to instill peace and save the planet's inhabitants from the withering.

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 71 reviews

story positive mentions

monetization negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics, charming creature designs, and a captivating story that evokes strong emotions.
Gameplay is relaxing and enjoyable, with mechanics that allow players to explore, solve puzzles, and interact with adorable creatures.
Creatures of Ava offers a unique non-violent combat system where players cleanse and befriend creatures, enhancing the overall cozy experience.

Players can easily lock themselves out of content by completing objectives too early, leading to frustration and the need for a second playthrough to collect missed items.
The controls and combat mechanics can feel awkward and unresponsive, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
There are several bugs and design oversights that can lead to game-breaking situations, which have been a source of disappointment for many players.

story
68 mentions
24 % positive mentions
75 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth, beautiful themes, and engaging characters, often evoking strong feelings in players. While the narrative begins with a wholesome mission to save a planet, it evolves into a more complex exploration of human nature and consequences, culminating in a poignant ending. However, some players express frustration with the game's structure, noting that progression can be hindered by locked areas and missable content, which may detract from the overall experience.
- “I was swept away by the atmosphere, art style, music, story, and characters.”
- “The story was beautiful and made me cry at the end.”
- “What begins as a wholesome mission to save a planet evolves into something grander as human ignorance and blinding empathy are slowly swept away through understanding the cultures of the naam and ava.”
- “Unfortunately, as the story progresses, you slowly realize that it is not all that happy and you are assailed by a sense of sadness that culminates in a depressive ending that makes you wonder how lousy people we really are.”
- “In addition, entire zones of the open world are locked out as the story progresses, meaning that if you don't get 100% completion of these zones before progressing the storyline, you miss out completely - including on permanent character upgrades.”
- “And if there's a story item or something you need to interact with for story progression - you're just screwed and your game progression is locked forever.”
gameplay
30 mentions
33 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its charming creature designs and immersive environments, blending elements from classic titles like Pokémon Snap and The Legend of Zelda. While some players find the mechanics, such as using music to tame creatures, frustrating and the overall gameplay somewhat repetitive, others appreciate the engaging story and the unique non-violent approach of healing rather than combat. Overall, the game offers a cozy experience with enjoyable exploration and puzzle-solving, though it may lack depth for those seeking more complex mechanics.
- “The gameplay is a marriage between Beyond Good and Evil, Pokémon Snap, and classic Legend of Zelda.”
- “Fun gameplay, beautiful environments, cute creatures.”
- “The artistic aspect is amazing, the gameplay is very smooth, and the combat is fun, with some quite original mechanics.”
- “The one gaming mechanic that I'm seeing an increase in is using music to tame animals. It's a mechanic I hate because, as a person who doesn't know music notes by sound, it's hard to tame the animals when I don't know what note they are using or which one for myself to use to tame them.”
- “No seriously, it's an annoying mechanic and the reason I stopped playing Paleo Pines.”
- “The game's creatures are pretty cute, and I like that you can pet them and that they have skills you can use for exploration, but sadly it's mechanically pretty boring.”
music
21 mentions
14 % positive mentions
86 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, with many players noting its beauty and soothing nature. The soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, particularly through unique mechanics that involve using music to tame creatures, although some players find this challenging due to their lack of musical knowledge. Overall, the incorporation of music is seen as a significant and enjoyable aspect of the game, contributing to its whimsical and enchanting world.
- “The soundtrack to this game is relaxing and soothing.”
- “A huge compliment on the music in this game, I've been humming the grassland main theme a lot and often stood still to listen.”
- “Music really is the language of Ava, the creatures, the plants, and the people.”
- “But this game is a 'creature collector' in the same way a bunch of sentient stones playing smooth jazz could technically be called rock music.”
- “The one gaming mechanic that I'm seeing an increase in is using music to tame animals; it's a mechanic I hate because, as a person who doesn't know music notes by sound, it's hard to tame the animals when I don't know what note they are using or which one for myself to use to tame them.”
- “We're not all music savants, lmfao.”
graphics
14 mentions
36 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style, creature designs, and immersive environments, while others find the technical performance lacking, likening it to older console graphics. Some players appreciate the extensive graphical settings available, although issues with the Steam Deck's limitations have been noted. Overall, the visuals are described as gorgeous but not technically impressive, creating a divide in player opinions.
- “I was swept away by the atmosphere, art style, music, story, and characters.”
- “The art style and characters are beautifully designed.”
- “The graphics are not overly technically impressive, but the art is gorgeous - I was particularly enamored by the designs of the eponymous creatures of Ava, by the Naam, and by the beautiful environments.”
- “It automatically runs in Steam Deck mode, making it so you can't change any of the graphic settings.”
- “There's so much potential here, but it feels like a PS2 game with the graphics of a PS4 game.”
- “They removed the graphics settings on the Steam Deck for unknown reasons.”
emotional
12 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its beautiful story that evokes strong feelings, often leading to tears by the end. The narrative's evolution from a simple mission to a deeper exploration of empathy and cultural understanding resonates deeply, creating a heartfelt connection to the characters and world. While some players wished for more voice acting to enhance emotional moments, the overall experience is described as heartwarming and impactful, providing a perfect blend of wholesome adventure and significant emotional depth.
- “The story was beautiful and made me cry at the end.”
- “I love the game for the plot and the way it made me feel as I started to comprehend the consequences of my actions throughout the game.”
- “I cared so much about the world and its characters and creatures that I cried at the ending.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express concerns about the game's monetization strategy, highlighting a lack of effective advertising that makes it difficult for potential players to discover new content. They suggest that companies need to improve their marketing efforts to reach a wider audience, as traditional ads are becoming less effective.
- “No one really sees ads anymore, so how do you find out about new content?”
- “The advertising of games and how to do it efficiently remains a struggle for companies.”
- “I had never even heard of this game before like a day ago, when I went looking for new games to play and it was on my list Steam gave of 'like other games you've played', so advertising these kinds of games is lacking, I feel.”
optimization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game is reportedly not well-optimized, particularly for lower-end PCs, as it defaults to ultra settings, which can hinder performance. Users have noted poor performance even on verified platforms like Steam Deck, indicating a need for further optimization.
- “The game requires some optimization adjustments, especially for players with lower-end PCs, as it defaults to ultra settings which may not run smoothly.”
- “There is a noticeable need for better optimization to enhance performance across various hardware configurations.”
- “Players should be prepared to tweak settings early on to ensure a smoother experience, particularly if they are using less powerful systems.”
- “It claims to be verified on Steam Deck, but the performance is very poor.”
- “The game isn't really optimized well and forces you to start out with ultra settings, so if you have a lower-end PC and need it to run properly, be prepared to adjust settings early.”
- “It also needs more optimization.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting its captivating art style, immersive music, engaging story, and well-developed characters that collectively create a compelling experience.
- “I was swept away by the atmosphere, art style, music, story, and characters.”
humor
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by clever and witty writing that exceeds expectations, providing an unexpectedly high level of comedic quality.
- “Clever and funny writing that is way better than it needs to be.”
- “The humor is sharp and consistently delivers laughs throughout the game.”
- “The witty dialogue and hilarious situations keep me entertained from start to finish.”
stability
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where it runs smoothly. However, some users have expressed concerns about certain design choices that may not align with player expectations.
- “It runs great on the Steam Deck, showcasing impressive stability.”
- “The game maintains a smooth performance throughout, ensuring a stable experience.”
- “I've experienced minimal bugs, which speaks to the overall stability of the game.”