Ostrich Island
- October 25, 2014
- MeDungeon
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Get on itch.io Store"Ostrich Island is a unique adventure/exploration/RPG game where you play as an ostrich. After a volcano eruption, help the ostrich escape and reunite with its family while exploring tropical paradises, stormy islands, underwater worlds, and dark caves. Discover secret achievements, collectibles, and bonuses, wear hats, take photos, catch butterflies, breed and feed chicken companions, and even invite a friend to join the adventure. The recently added workshop allows players to create and share their own ostrich skins and islands with the community."
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Reviews
- The game offers a unique and quirky experience, providing a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic collect-a-thon platformers.
- Exploration is enjoyable, with a variety of hidden collectibles and customization options that add depth to the gameplay.
- The lighthearted and humorous nature of the game makes it a fun experience, especially when played with friends.
- Controls can be clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay moments and difficulty in navigating levels.
- The graphics and overall polish are lacking, which detracts from the immersive experience and can make the game feel cheap.
- Gameplay can become repetitive, with some players feeling that the game lacks sufficient content and variety to keep them engaged.
- gameplay17 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Ostrich Island is characterized by its clunky mechanics and repetitive elements, leading to a mixed reception among players. While some appreciate its straightforward and humorous approach, others find it lacking depth and originality, with slow pacing and monotonous levels. Despite these criticisms, the game offers a fun experience, especially in cooperative play, and is considered a decent value for its price.
“Very decent platformer with interesting gameplay elements and an overall humorous atmosphere.”
“The gameplay can be moderately amusing if you like solving every secret, finding every item, and unlocking every achievement.”
“It's a reasonable price for hours of gameplay (especially fun with a friend) and it even has Steam trading cards so you can get a bit of that price back!”
“Ostrich Island is so clunky and clumsy that the gameplay experience is agonizing.”
“Gameplay is very repetitive, runs quite slow for some reason, the tunnel levels are incredibly monotonous.”
“I really wanted to like it but the gameplay just wasn't there for me.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising them as among the best in the industry, while others criticize them for being unpolished and underwhelming. Issues such as poor graphical performance, imprecise controls, and a lack of visual depth detract from the overall experience for many. Despite these shortcomings, some players still find enjoyment in the game, appreciating its visuals in the context of its gameplay.
“Graphics are up there with the greatest looking games in the game industry.”
“From the graphics to the gameplay, the soundtrack to the achievements, I am loving it.”
“Good graphics, good controls, good sounds.”
“I wanted to like this game, but the unpolished nature of it, from the graphics to the controls to the interface, is just a massive deal breaker.”
“Primary issues are: the graphical performance is poor, the player can fall through the terrain, the controls are wonky, and the color palette in the later 'cavern levels' is a horrid black-on-black.”
“Unfortunately for me, the 3D graphics give me motion sickness, and I couldn't find a way to change any of the settings that usually help.”
- story6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by its moral lessons about perseverance and unpredictability in life, alongside a blend of dark comedy and eccentricity reminiscent of the Coen brothers' work. While some players note a lack of depth in graphics and gameplay, many find the thrilling and twist-filled narrative engaging and enjoyable.
“Legendary storytelling.”
“After another dark comedy/crime film, Fargo, the Coen brothers wrote an amazing and eccentric comedy story.”
“The graphics aren't great, there's no real story, the gameplay is simple, and yet... I find myself positively enjoying this game.”
“The story of this game is filled with thrills and twists, so if you have a heart condition, avoid this game.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as nice and atmospheric, contributing positively to the overall experience without being overwhelming. It complements the gameplay and graphics, enhancing the enjoyment of collecting items and exploring the game world. Overall, the soundtrack is appreciated for its ability to create a relaxing ambiance.
“The music itself is nice and atmospheric; the in-game lore is not needed but well appreciated, with the ostrich character having relatives and family members well known for certain traits. The sluggish movement and the very linear stage layouts help the game and prevent it from overstaying its welcome.”
“From the graphics to the gameplay, the soundtrack to the achievements, I am loving it.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its pleasant music and engaging lore, particularly through the ostrich character's family background. The sluggish movement and linear stage designs contribute to a balanced experience, preventing the game from feeling tedious. Overall, it offers a humorous and enjoyable platforming atmosphere.
“The music itself is nice and atmospheric. The in-game lore is not needed but is well appreciated, with the ostrich character having relatives and family members well known for certain traits. The sluggish movement and very linear stage layouts help the game and prevent it from overstaying its welcome.”
“A very decent platformer with interesting gameplay elements and an overall humorous atmosphere.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing animation of the ostrich, which initially captivates players, and the fun experience of playing with friends enhances the comedic elements. Overall, the game offers a lighthearted and entertaining atmosphere.
“The animation of the ostrich is funny and interesting at first, and the camera and remote handling is half decent.”
“So fun and hilarious when you play with a friend.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report stability issues, particularly with connection problems that cause partners to become stuck on one player's screen, necessitating a game reset. Despite these bugs, the overall gameplay experience remains enjoyable.
“The main problem I found was that connections seemed buggy, with partners becoming stuck on one player's screen until the game was reset.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its intricate design, showcasing unique personalities and backstories that enhance player engagement. Reviewers note that the characters evolve meaningfully throughout the narrative, allowing for deeper emotional connections. Overall, the thoughtful character design contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”
“The characters seem to follow predictable arcs, leaving little room for surprise or genuine evolution.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for poor graphical performance, issues with players falling through terrain, unresponsive controls, and a visually unappealing color palette in the cavern levels, which features a problematic black-on-black scheme.
“The graphical performance is poor, making it difficult to enjoy the game.”
“I frequently fall through the terrain, which disrupts the gameplay experience.”
“The controls are wonky, leading to frustrating moments during gameplay.”
