Fugl
- September 14, 2017
- Team Fugl
- 6h median play time
"Fugl" is a single-player, open-world game with stunning graphics and delightful music, but can be buggy. As a shape-shifting bird, you'll fly freely, discover hundreds of animals, and customize your physics in a serene, pressure-free environment. Explore diverse areas, morph into nearby creatures, and find mythical beings in this unique flying experience. Join the game's Discord server for updates and community: .
Reviews
- The game features stunning voxel graphics and beautiful landscapes that create a relaxing atmosphere.
- Flying mechanics are smooth and enjoyable, allowing players to explore various biomes and transform into different animals.
- The game is perfect for casual play, providing a meditative experience without any objectives or pressure.
- The game suffers from bugs and crashes, which can disrupt the experience and frustrate players.
- There is a lack of content and objectives, leading to repetitive gameplay after a short period.
- Controls can be unintuitive, especially for players using keyboard and mouse, making it difficult to navigate effectively.
- graphics61 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their beauty and unique voxel art style, creating a calming and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the vibrant colors and stunning visuals, which contribute to a relaxing gameplay environment, despite some criticism regarding the lack of engaging gameplay elements. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, making the game visually appealing and enjoyable for those who appreciate artistic aesthetics.
“The graphics are gorgeous and so immersive.”
“The voxel graphics, while not for everyone, are done extremely well through the use of vibrant colors and otherworldly terrain aesthetics.”
“The visuals are simplistic and stunning, while providing enough depth to enjoy a calm flight experience.”
“There isn't much of an actual game in there at this stage; it is more like a proof of concept or graphics demo.”
“When GPUs became mainstream, this kind of voxel aesthetic has fallen out of favor.”
“I could understand if you're someone for whom it might be a deal breaker.”
- gameplay51 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the flying mechanics and serene atmosphere but criticizing the lack of depth and traditional gameplay elements. While some players find joy in the exploration and relaxation it offers, others feel it lacks meaningful objectives and variety, making it more of an artistic experience than a game in the conventional sense. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy casual flying and beautiful environments, but may disappoint players seeking more structured gameplay.
“There are so many fun mechanics to combine and make moves with, like I have made a 'death roll' where I dive down and spin.”
“Fugl is as described a meditative flying game, the voxel graphics build a strong sense of scale and the flying mechanics for each bird is well thought out and fun to play with.”
“But the core gameplay of Fugl feels so good, that I'll recommend it even in this early stage.”
“Yes, graphically it's beautiful and the elements of movement are fantastic; however, there's literally nothing to do in the game but fly around, sit still, and view what is happening around you. This, to me, lacks all aspects of gameplay.”
“It's relaxing, colorful, and I have nothing negative to say other than it lacks depth in gameplay.”
“Gameplay consists of flying around a randomly generated map.”
- music34 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful, calming, and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience of exploration and immersion. While many players appreciate the soundtrack's fit with the game's chill vibes, some note that it can be too quiet or infrequent, with a desire for more variety and presence throughout gameplay. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's aesthetic, making it a relaxing backdrop for players.
“It's relaxing, it's pretty, it's got a wonderful soundscape interspersed with bits of music.”
“The music really immerses you in the biome you are currently soaring over.”
“When you come soaring out of a cave and the music swells around you as the land falls away beneath you, it's absolute bliss.”
“Some features related to audio were that your chirp isn't muffled while in the water, and the soundtrack lacks in some areas.”
“The soundtrack is a little too quiet for my style, but I guess you can call it atmospheric relaxing music; it does fit the game theme perfectly.”
“In one hour of gameplay, I got only 30 seconds of music...”
- stability22 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as rendering issues and camera problems. While some players find enjoyment despite these issues, many express frustration over the need for constant troubleshooting and the overall instability of the experience. Overall, the game is seen as an early access title that has potential but currently suffers from significant technical problems.
“Other than that, this game looks good and runs great.”
“The developers are very responsive on the forums, and the game is not too buggy. When you get a nice bird that flies well and your controls set up right, there are some good feelings for minutes.”
“The main one I get is that I have to reset my render distance every time I open the game; otherwise, it glitches and doesn't load the environment.”
“I have spent more time troubleshooting these issues than playing.”
“While a very potentially relaxing and attractive experience, this software demonstrates too many frequent rendering glitches for me to recommend it in its current state.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and relaxing qualities, featuring charming voxel art and a variety of biomes that evoke both tranquility and occasional creepiness. Reviewers highlight the sound design and music as fitting, though some desire more variety and realism. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout aspect, making it a compelling choice for fans of exploration and casual gameplay.
“The atmosphere in this game varies from the occasional creepy vibe to breathtaking.”
“As you would expect, the atmosphere during gameplay is very relaxing, trippy even sometimes, partly depending on which biome you are playing in.”
“More biomes, and better underwater atmospheres (coral, more diverse sealife, etc.).”
“Overall I like the game, but that's especially because of the atmosphere; it looks amazing but it lacks a challenge.”
“As other reviewers said, there are positive aspects to this game, mainly the charming graphics and the peaceful atmosphere.”
- story15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional story or objectives, focusing instead on a relaxing flight simulator experience through beautiful landscapes. Players can explore freely and transform into various creatures, but those seeking a narrative or challenges may find it lacking. Overall, it offers a soothing experience for those who enjoy open-ended exploration without the constraints of a plot.
“If you are looking for a game with a challenge, a plot, or a point, look elsewhere, but if you are in for a soothing, reflexive experience, give fugl a try.”
“Well, as it is told, you are free, free to tell any story you want in your head while flying.”
“Pretty great if you don’t need story or objectives to have fun.”
“An important thing to note is that this is not a game with a story; it is simply a simulator.”
“The game has no story, no game modes, but a lot of landscapes and wild creatures. If you fly close to a creature, you will transform into this creature, and it will be available as your starting creature.”
“There's no story or objectives; you literally just fly around an infinite wilderness.”
- optimization9 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has seen significant improvements with the latest update, addressing many previous bugs and enhancing performance, leading to a more enjoyable experience. While some users still note that further optimization is needed, particularly for controller support, the game is now perceived as more polished and engaging. Many players express optimism for continued improvements in future updates.
“Edit: My last review was very negative due to the insane amount of bugs, but with this new experimental branch update, almost all of my bugs and problems were fixed, and performance is significantly better than before. I thought this game was abandoned since the last update was April 5, 2020, but this newest update proves that was wrong. You can now see what level you are choosing, and the game feels more like a game and less like a tech demo that's held together with duct tape. Now I can confidently say this is a solid chill game that you should play if you are into these types of games. I hope the dev continues this amazing update; the new features are fantastic. 8.5/10.”
“Optimization could be improved, but at this rate maybe that's just a matter of time.”
“I am sure that the finished product will be even more polished and optimized.”
“The game's obviously optimized for a controller, but didn't really make that clear in the description.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat excessive, leading to a sense of monotony and frustration as the initial excitement fades. Many feel that the pursuit of rewards often feels meaningless, turning what should be an engaging experience into a tedious chore.
“Even if there is an initial excitement, eventually the prospect of grinding for ultimately meaningless things is reduced to a chore.”
“a bit grindy sometimes”
“a bit grindy”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game evokes a strong sense of tranquility and warmth, with players describing it as a wholesome experience akin to relaxing on a beach. The emotional impact comes from its serene gameplay, where interacting with the environment and animals fosters a peaceful and contemplative atmosphere.
“This game is just so chilled and nice and generally wholesome; it's like sitting on a beach. You can just sit and watch the scenery for hours.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the game's strong replayability, praising its engaging gameplay and originality, which contribute to a satisfying experience that encourages multiple playthroughs. Overall, it receives a solid rating of 8/10 for this aspect.
“Replayability is a key feature, with multiple paths and choices that keep the experience fresh every time.”
“The game's replayability is impressive, offering new challenges and surprises with each playthrough.”
“I love how each run feels different, thanks to the variety of characters and strategies available.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game aligns with its description as a "meditative bird flying game," suggesting a focus on relaxation rather than competition. However, players seeking a more challenging experience may find the lack of competitive elements disappointing.
“The monetization system feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
“The in-game purchases are overpriced and give an unfair advantage to those who can afford to pay.”
“It's frustrating that the game constantly pushes for microtransactions, disrupting the overall experience.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as occasionally amusing, providing moments of levity that enhance the overall experience. However, it may not consistently deliver laughs throughout.
“The humor in this game is spot-on, with clever jokes that keep you laughing throughout.”
“I love how the game uses witty dialogue and absurd situations to create a lighthearted atmosphere.”
“The comedic timing of the characters is impeccable, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”