PIXELS: Digital Creatures
- September 7, 2021
- ANIGRAM
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Get on itch.io Store"PIXELS: Digital Creatures" is a strategy simulation game where players must defend a virtual world from invasive digital creatures. By collecting resources, building structures, and developing technology, players can battle and convert these creatures into helpful allies. With procedurally generated levels and a variety of creatures to encounter, each playthrough offers a unique challenge.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features unique and visually appealing monster designs, making it enjoyable to collect and battle with them.
- The gameplay is fun and addictive, with a solid foundation that shows potential for future updates and improvements.
- The strategic elements of battles, including weaknesses and resistances, add depth to the gameplay experience.
- There is a significant lack of content and progression, with only a limited number of encounters and no grinding options available.
- The balance of battles feels off, with some moves being overly powerful and the AI exploiting status effects excessively.
- The game is still in early access and suffers from bugs, lack of clarity in mechanics, and a need for quality of life improvements.
- gameplay26 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a dynamic blend of rogue-lite mechanics and Pokémon/Digimon-inspired elements, offering a mix of strategic battles and exploration through randomly generated events. While the core gameplay loop is engaging and accessible, some players note a lack of depth and clarity in mechanics, as well as a need for more content to sustain long-term play. Overall, the game shows promise with its unique design and humor, but it still requires further development to enhance the gameplay experience.
“I like the gameplay and the creature designs are really neat :)”
“The combination of rogue-lite mechanics, die & retry, and Pokémon/Digimon inspirations - both in gameplay and aesthetic as well - are bold, well-thought-out, and dynamic.”
“Overall a great gameplay loop that you can pick up easily enough, but with a high skill ceiling.”
“The addition of a codex listing all the debuffs that you can inflict should also be included; it is very frustrating to not have access to the in-depth game mechanics in order to have full knowledge of what you're doing in battle.”
“Pixels: Digital Creatures is not very far in development and there really isn't that much to do that would warrant endless gameplay like other roguelikes.”
“Weird gameplay design choices abound.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game, particularly the battle tracks, is widely praised for being catchy and well-suited to the game's setting. Reviewers highlight that the music complements the impressive monster designs, enhancing the overall experience in the monster taming genre.
“I like the battle music; it's catchy.”
“The monster designs are by far some of the best in the monster taming genre, and the music fits the setting so well.”
“The battle music is pretty nice.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a blend of dark humor and clever references, contributing to its charm and appeal. Players find the absurdity of the main character—a random middle-aged man—humorous, while the unpredictable AI mechanics, particularly the evasion ability, add an extra layer of comedic frustration. Overall, the humor enhances the gameplay experience, making it a standout in the indie game scene.
“Dark humor, excellent references, and well-thought gameplay make this game one of the most promising independent games that I've played recently.”
“What's even more hilarious is evasion; if the AI decides to start casting that every 3 or 4 turns... or every turn... they are invincible and cannot be hit by anything.”
“The fact that the main character is just some random middle-aged dude is fairly funny on its own.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their visual appeal and stimulating animations, though some users note that the moves can feel repetitive due to their reuse. The game's aesthetic draws inspiration from Pokémon and Digimon, contributing to a bold and dynamic visual experience that complements its rogue-lite mechanics.
“The combination of rogue-lite mechanics, die & retry, and Pokémon/Digimon inspirations - both in gameplay and aesthetic as well - are bold, well-thought-out, and dynamic.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it highly enjoyable with significant replay value, others criticize the limited player control and linear pathing, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The game is really fun and has a lot of replay value.”
“The game is really fun and has a lot of replay value.”
“Giving minimal control to a player, then adding blind pathing through your world will cause the replay value to plummet.”
- story4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, beginning with the player as an old man and lacking significant narrative depth. Players express frustration with the gameplay mechanics, particularly the repetitive and luck-based elements involved in progressing through the story, which detracts from their overall enjoyment.
“You start the game as an old man with no story to speak of.”
“My mission in the game at the moment is [spoiler] to beat the eye, but the amount of crawling to get back to it after every loss is a massive amount of guesswork and luck. This makes me not want to continue trying in the state the game is at right now.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The character development is deeply intertwined with a dystopian, cyberpunk lore that evokes an Orwellian atmosphere, where players feel the oppressive presence of a watching eye as they navigate challenges. This design choice enhances the narrative, making failures feel significant and impactful within the game's world.
“The character design and world conception are deeply immersive, with a lore that feels very Orwellian and dystopian, almost cyberpunk in nature. The ever-watchful eye adds a layer of tension as you navigate the challenges, making every failure feel like a part of a larger narrative.”
“The character development is intricately tied to the world-building, creating a rich, cyberpunk atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. The lore is compelling, drawing players into a narrative where every setback feels significant.”
“The combination of character design and a dystopian lore creates a unique experience. The feeling of being watched adds to the intensity of the gameplay, making character progression feel meaningful and impactful.”
“The character development feels shallow and uninspired, lacking any meaningful progression or depth.”
“The characters are one-dimensional and fail to evoke any real emotional connection, making it hard to care about their journeys.”
“Despite the intriguing world, the character arcs are predictable and fail to offer any surprises or growth.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized, with users noting that while the concept is promising, its performance falls short of acceptable standards.
