Crow Story

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Jump, dive, and platform through this minimalistic indie 3D platformer about a little crow trying to save his friends.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 227 reviews

music26 positive mentions

The game features a charming art style and a relaxing soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
Platforming mechanics are well-designed, providing a satisfying challenge that encourages skill improvement.
It's a free game that offers a short but enjoyable experience, making it accessible for casual players.

The camera controls can be frustrating and may lead to unfair deaths due to poor hitboxes.
Some players found the movement mechanics, particularly the dive, to be unintuitive and counterproductive.
The game lacks a substantial story, which may disappoint those expecting a narrative-driven experience.

music
44 mentions
59 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and beautiful qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience. While some reviewers noted that the soundtrack can be repetitive, many appreciated how it builds in complexity throughout the levels, contributing to a relaxing and immersive gameplay experience. Overall, the combination of soothing music and charming visuals creates a delightful ambiance that resonates with players.
- “One of the best parts of the game has to be the soundtrack, which increases in complexity as you complete each level, helping to set an excellent atmosphere.”
- “The music is beautiful and the animation is wonderful.”
- “The soundtrack in this game is amazing and really elevates it from just another off-brand Mario game.”
- “Music is repetitive, without any special high or low points, so it also feels flat and disconnected from gameplay.”
- “It doesn't have a story, the music is repetitive, and the gameplay is not challenging.”
- “The soundtrack is a bit repetitive but does fit the mood of the game.”
story
42 mentions
21 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The story in "Crow Story" is minimal and often feels absent, despite the game's title suggesting otherwise. While some players appreciate the nostalgic and charming elements of the narrative, many express disappointment over the lack of substantial storytelling and environmental context. Overall, the game is more focused on precision platforming than delivering a rich narrative experience.
- “The story has a nostalgic feeling to it that keeps you motivated to see it to the end.”
- “The story is simple yet beautiful, and the midway point is when the game takes a turn (for the better).”
- “While the game is called 'crow story', there isn't much of a story, but the bits and pieces that are within are good enough.”
- “Story is practically nonexistent.”
- “Where is the story???”
- “It doesn't have a story, the music is repetitive, and the gameplay is not challenging.”
gameplay
27 mentions
56 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, characterized by simple yet engaging mechanics that provide a satisfying challenge without overstaying its welcome. While some players noted issues with momentum mechanics and camera angles, the overall experience is enhanced by creative level design and a gradual increase in difficulty. The game successfully combines enjoyable platforming elements with a charming atmosphere, making it a worthwhile short play despite some minor flaws.
- “I still enjoyed some of Crow Story: it has just the right amount of challenge and doesn't overstay its welcome - it gets all the mileage it can out of a few simple mechanics and ends right when it should.”
- “The platforming boss fight at the end is also pretty cool, and a neat way of solving a common gaming pitfall of bosses having completely different mechanics from the rest of the game.”
- “Gameplay was great, and the ramp-up in difficulty was just about perfect.”
- “Music is repetitive, without any special high or low points, so it also feels flat and disconnected from gameplay.”
- “I must admit as I was on the final boss I thought to myself whether I would play through the game again if I didn't manage to complete it within the 30 minutes required for all cosmetics unlocks. This is in part due to the movement mechanics; most aspects feel fine, however, the way that momentum is conserved doesn't feel particularly intuitive. The dive action caps your movement speed, meaning if you're above that speed, your speed will drop to the maximum speed of the dive action.”
- “The momentum mechanics can be a little frustrating until you get the hang of them, but you don't expect perfect tutorials from a free game.”
graphics
20 mentions
55 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the charming retro and simplistic art styles, as well as the pleasant visuals that enhance the overall experience. While some players find the graphics serviceable yet bland, others highlight the beautiful lighting and cute designs that contribute to a relaxing atmosphere. Overall, the visuals are generally appreciated for their creativity and ability to complement the gameplay, despite some noting minor graphical issues.
- “The graphics and music help me relax.”
- “Fantastic, short platformer with very tight controls and a cute aesthetic.”
- “The visuals are really good and it's a joy to play honestly.”
- “The visuals are serviceable but bland.”
- “For a free game, this game excels, even including the terrible graphics and maybe a bit clunky controls; it's fun for a good 2 hours minimum.”
- “While the levels weren't exactly the most aesthetically pleasing, almost everything had amazing readability and everything was there on purpose.”
atmosphere
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with a captivating soundtrack that evolves with gameplay, enhancing the emotional experience. Players appreciate the charming and simplistic design, which evokes a sense of nostalgia and immersion reminiscent of titles like Journey. Overall, the atmosphere is described as soothing and engaging, making it a memorable aspect of the game.
- “One of the best parts of the game has to be the soundtrack, which increases in complexity as you complete each level, helping to set an excellent atmosphere.”
- “There aren't many tracks, but the ones that are present are soothing and really add to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “It's reminiscent of Journey and certainly feels that way through the atmosphere.”
- “A fun little platformer, and something about the atmosphere and simple purity of the whole thing made me strangely emotional.”
replayability
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's replayability, noting its blend of engaging elements like music and difficulty, as well as opportunities for unlocking skins. Additionally, the option to speedrun or attempt deathless challenges adds further incentive for repeated play, making it a worthwhile experience for short sessions.
- “The length, music, difficulty, movement, and replay value is just the perfect blend.”
- “Another cool gem from the free-to-play section of Steam, it has a little bit of replay value with unlocking skins.”
- “Another cool gem from the free-to-play section of Steam, has a little bit of replay value with unlocking skins.”
- “Overall a pleasant way to spend 30 minutes, plus there's replay value if you want to speedrun or go for a deathless challenge.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its solid performance and controls, indicating effective optimization, while also featuring appealing art direction and a well-paced experience.
- “The game features a nice art direction, good performance, and solid controls, ensuring a smooth experience without overstaying its welcome.”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for seamless gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization, making the game run smoothly and efficiently.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to stem from its charming atmosphere and the simplicity of its design, which evokes unexpected feelings and nostalgia.
- “A fun little platformer, and something about the atmosphere and simple purity of the whole thing made me strangely emotional.”