Paws

About

Paws is a tale of two halves and sees you traverse a vast and harrowing landscape while fending off the threats that hunt you as you make your way home. Journey through the expanded world of Shelter 2 in this standalone adventure!About Paws: "Dark and grime, twist through the vines, Slip through perils with finesse and toil. Be two for strength, be two of mind, Find the way home to familiar s…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 760 reviews

story132 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Beautiful art style and music that enhances the emotional experience.
Touching story that explores themes of family, loss, and friendship, making players feel deeply connected to the characters.
Cute and lovable characters, especially the lynx cub and bear cub, which add charm to the gameplay.

The game is very short, typically taking only 1-2 hours to complete, which some players feel is not worth the price.
Controls can be finicky and the camera angles are often problematic, making navigation difficult.
Some players experienced bugs and glitches that affected gameplay, leading to frustration.

story
300 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The game's story revolves around a young lynx cub's emotional journey to reunite with her family, exploring themes of loss and friendship. Players appreciate the beautiful art style and music that enhance the heartfelt narrative, though some find the linear plot and short playtime limiting. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its emotional depth, making it a touching experience despite some gameplay and navigation issues.
- “This game tells a great story of how a lynx kit gets lost in the wilderness and heads on a long journey to reunite with her family.”
- “The journey of a lost lynx cub as she discovers the wonders of the mysterious world around her, and a story told through gorgeous poetry and art.”
- “The story is very beautiful and captivating, something I had hoped for more in Shelter 2.”
- “The world to explore isn't large, the story is linear, and 'loss and friendship as its central themes' is a bit pretentiously worded, although the story, as always, is quite emotional.”
- “It tries to have the same tear-jerking story like the first game, but while the ending of Shelter was very touching, I feel the game was too short to make the connections for the ending to get that reaction from me.”
- “Through the whole game, everything had seemed to steer you away from the activity you have to do in order to choose the ending that I would've wanted story-wise, so instead of attempting that activity I went looking around for alternatives and ended up getting the ending I didn't want (and also just super confused about what was happening because I didn't understand it was the end, or that I was being presented with a choice).”
emotional
160 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players expressing that it made them cry due to its touching story about friendship and loss. Despite some criticisms regarding its short length and occasional confusion in gameplay, the heartfelt narrative and beautiful art style resonate deeply, creating a memorable and impactful experience. Overall, players recommend it for those seeking a cozy yet emotionally charged adventure.
- “A beautiful and heartwarming game, but don't try to understand the lore because it's really confusing.”
- “The story is touching and tugged at my heartstrings.”
- “I couldn't bear to leave him when I finally found my mommy lynx and siblings.. and the end was just so beautiful and heartbreaking I couldn't take it.”
graphics
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
47%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, often described as enchanting and reminiscent of a storybook. While many players appreciate the aesthetic and detail, some find the visuals challenging to navigate and occasionally amateurish. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's emotional impact and immersive experience, despite some criticisms regarding accessibility and realism.
- “My favorite thing in the world! I love this game so much, 100% recommended. It's so sad but shows the reality of how cruel nature can be. I love the graphics; this game is so pretty and the details are amazing!”
- “The best part about this game is the presentation. Both the unique graphics and the sound design are absolutely stunning, absolutely the quality level I expected after playing Shelter.”
- “Although graphically far from photorealistic, the 'painted fairytale storybook' style is the best looking installment of the series yet, accompanied by stunningly beautiful and sensitive music that fits the setting perfectly and amplifies the experience.”
- “Bringing it back to the graphics though, it was also hard to see one of the options you had from where you were.”
- “I got this game on sale back in the day after I saw its picture because of how much of a crazy cat person I am, but after just a few minutes of playing it, it just turned out to be really trash because the graphics are very clumpy and toyish looking and the surroundings of how everything looks makes my eyes uncomfortable.”
- “The graphics are also very hard to look at sometimes.”
music
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
43%
3%
The music in the game has been widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the overall experience with soothing and atmospheric soundtracks that perfectly complement the visuals and narrative. Reviewers noted that the music evokes a range of feelings, from calmness to heartbreak, making it a standout feature that resonates with players. Overall, the combination of stunning art and a heartfelt soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's charm and immersive storytelling.
- “A sweet, somewhat short game with a cozy and exciting atmosphere, and an incredible soundtrack that is raw and heartfelt.”
- “The soundtrack is beautiful and well written, and the aesthetics and animation are overall pleasing.”
- “The music is really relaxing at times, and at other times it adds to what you are feeling as the character and story progresses.”
- “But as much as I love the graphics and music and story, I cannot recommend this one.”
- “Otherwise the music, the art style, the sense of danger, and even the short runtime are all completely recognizable by those experienced with the shelter series.”
- “One part I was at a swamp-like area and the background music really set the mood that this place isn't very welcoming, which was fantastic.”
gameplay
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
75%
6%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its emotional depth and straightforward mechanics, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking engaging challenges. Many feel that the movement and controls could be improved to enhance the overall experience, as some aspects feel scripted or poorly executed. Overall, while the game offers a unique perspective and atmosphere, it may not satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay or challenges.
- “I love the gameplay and I have to say it's one of my favorites (if not the favorite!) of the entire Shelter series and I wish more games like this would be published.”
- “Not like the other Shelter games, more story-driven gameplay which is a welcome change for this game series.”
- “The atmosphere, gameplay, story, and everything in between is just so good!”
- “This made me give up on exploring the levels for secrets very fast; the secrets didn't feel worth bonking the poor kitten's head against the wall so many times. If the only mechanic of your game is moving, you have to make sure moving around is engaging, or at least not actively unpleasant.”
- “Too scripted, the controls are awful (jumping on the bear is equally difficult as it is pointless), and there are very half-baked mechanics.”
- “It's more solid than a lot of other titles and digital toys out there, and it has a well-defined beginning and end, but the gameplay just isn't as enjoyable as it could be, and most of the challenge comes from the controls of the game rather than the game itself or any conscious gameplay design choices.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its cozy and heartwarming qualities, enhanced by beautifully designed levels and a raw, heartfelt soundtrack. Players are encouraged to take their time to fully absorb the vivid surroundings, which feature atmospheric music and moments that evoke a sense of wonder and excitement. Overall, the atmosphere significantly contributes to the game's charm and immersive experience, making it a standout element for both new and returning players.
- “Beautifully designed levels, atmospheric music, color concrete moments between fog and dusk, and incredibly heartwarming.”
- “Take your time with it and really soak in the atmosphere and beautiful surroundings; annoy the angry swan, chase the birds and frogs, and try leaping at the butterflies. These are the things a naughty baby lynx enjoys getting up to in the wild!”
- “If anything though, I feel like the world is even more vivid than the previous titles and the atmosphere, along with the background music playing during specific parts, really sets the atmosphere well.”
- “Atmosphere is a big part of this game and it gives a very nice feeling to players who are just joining or even still playing from start to finish.”
- “It made me really want to take my time and absorb the atmosphere.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly when it comes to collecting numerous items for achievements, such as mushrooms and butterflies. While some achievements are challenging and may require a guide, the overall sentiment is that the grinding can feel excessive, especially since food serves little purpose beyond this.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Some achievements are tedious to get; others are quite difficult without a guide. Thankfully, there is a very good guide available here on Steam.”
- “Food doesn't seem to have a purpose beyond grinding for achievements.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including numerous glitches that hinder gameplay, such as unresponsive tutorial elements and characters getting stuck. Players report feeling lost and frustrated due to these bugs, which contribute to an overall impression of the game being unfinished and rushed. Many recommend waiting for fixes before playing, as the current state significantly impacts performance and enjoyment.
- “From the start it seemed unfinished and rushed, controls are weird, I was getting lost many times, couldn't feel the vibe I was expecting, and when I finally got to know the bear everyone was talking about, it turns out it's buggy and stuck at times. Shortly after meeting him, I got stuck and couldn't continue.”
- “Please fix these glitches since they do significantly impede the game’s performance and sometimes make you feel lost (or at least for me).”
- “The game overall is very buggy and still has quite a few tweaks to fix.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with players noting that after experiencing the two possible endings, there is little incentive to revisit the game due to its short length and lack of substantial content. While the level design is clever and visually appealing, the scripted nature of the story and confined gameplay diminish the potential for exploration and replay value.
- “Stay away from the scripted, confusing to navigate tunnel vision story and open things up to a beautiful world of possibilities and replayability.”
- “The storyline was okay but nothing really great; the game is graphically beautiful like all their titles, but the overall game is super short and once you play through it, you pretty much won't really have to play it again; it doesn't really have any replay value.”
- “Replay value diminishes after playing through the two possible endings, as the level design is clever but there are only so many levels to hide secrets and ghosts.”
- “The storyline was okay but nothing really great. The game, graphically like all their titles, is beautiful, but the overall game is super short. Once you play through it, you pretty much won't really have to play it again; it doesn't really have any replay value.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of lightheartedness and emotional depth, featuring funny and cute characters that evoke laughter while also delivering poignant moments of sadness. This bittersweet storytelling creates a unique experience that resonates with players on multiple emotional levels.
- “One minute you will be laughing, and then suddenly you will find yourself feeling emotions of sadness. This is a bittersweet game that tells a story I feel is so honest.”
- “Funny and cute characters.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players have reported significant glitches that hinder the game's performance, leading to frustrating experiences and occasional disorientation. There is a strong call for improvements in optimization to address these issues.
- “Please fix these glitches since they significantly impede the game’s performance and sometimes make you feel lost (at least for me).”