Shelter

About

"Shelter" is a single-player horror turn-based strategy game with a good plot, delightful graphics, and a fabulous soundtrack. As a mother badger, players must protect their cubs from various threats in the wild, such as predators, natural disasters, and starvation. Despite its wholesome story and compelling atmosphere, the game has many bugs and offers little replayability. Players must manage food and resources carefully to help their cubs survive in this intense and emotional adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+11

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,011 reviews

graphics330 positive mentions

replayability27 negative mentions

Beautiful art style and music that create an immersive experience.
Emotionally engaging gameplay that makes you care for the badger cubs.
Unique concept of playing as a mother badger navigating the challenges of nature.

Very short gameplay, typically around 1-2 hours.
Lack of clear instructions and tutorials can lead to confusion.
Limited replay value as the story and outcomes are mostly linear.

graphics
687 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
48%
4%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and charming art style that evokes a watercolor or storybook aesthetic. However, some players criticized the visuals for being washed out or lacking detail, leading to confusion during gameplay. Overall, while the graphics are considered beautiful and immersive by some, others find them underwhelming or frustrating, suggesting that appreciation for the art style may vary among players.
- “Breath-taking game with amazing graphics, would recommend.”
- “The graphics are so unique and creative.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and by the end, you really care about your little badger family.”
- “There's obviously a certain demographic aimed for this game but if you're anything like me who prefers their games to have a bit more bang for their buck, for £12.79, you can do a lot better than this.”
- “There are several underwhelming elements to the graphics, but the most telling example is that it doesn't even look as 'good' as the promo pictures here on Steam; everything is really, really washed out, and this was apparently by design.”
- “The graphics suffer from the overly textured art style, and angular presentation.”
story
504 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
63%
10%
The story of "Shelter" revolves around a mother badger and her five cubs navigating the harsh realities of nature, presented through a unique, wordless narrative that evokes strong emotional responses. While the game is praised for its beautiful art style and ability to convey deep themes of survival and loss, many reviewers note its linearity and brevity, with the main story lasting only about one to two hours. Overall, it offers a touching yet bittersweet experience that resonates with players, despite some criticism regarding its lack of depth and replayability.
- “With a unique visual style and a deep way to tell a story, this game has a soft yet brutal world.”
- “Shelter manages to show a great story without a single word spoken or written, even when explaining how the game works.”
- “A beautifully simple story about a family of badgers, trying to survive.”
- “The story is extremely point A to B and there seems no way you can change how the story unfolds and play better.”
- “There is no real plot to speak of.”
- “There is no story; there are no characters; there is no challenge.”
gameplay
502 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
72%
11%
The gameplay of "Shelter" is characterized by its simplicity and linearity, focusing on gathering food and protecting cubs from predators, which some players find endearing while others deem it repetitive and lacking depth. The game offers a short experience, typically lasting around one to two hours, and while it features charming visuals and an emotional narrative, many reviewers feel that the mechanics are too basic and do not provide enough engagement for a full-priced title. Overall, it appeals to those who appreciate artistic games with emotional themes, but may disappoint players seeking more complex gameplay.
- “The gameplay is simple and elegant, accompanied with very nice artistic low-poly graphics that make you feel like you're playing in a painting.”
- “The art design and gameplay were very unique and fun, and the sound design and soundtrack were excellent.”
- “The gameplay works better than in the most AAA titles you can find on the market nowadays, and the ambient music in the background works perfectly and supports the action on the screen.”
- “However, considering just how short and mechanically bare bones this experience is, £12.79 is far too much to be asking for a game like this, especially since it's approaching 10 years since it was released.”
- “The gameplay is pretty bland and the game is unstable at times (transitioning between levels and ending of the game). The story is fun but the game itself ruins it.”
- “The gameplay on the other hand, is frustrating, dull, difficult, and mundane.”
emotional
492 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly powerful, with many players reporting deep attachments to the badger cubs and intense feelings of grief when they are lost. The game effectively evokes a range of emotions, from heartwarming moments of nurturing to heartbreaking losses, often leading players to tears. While some critiques mention a lack of character development and gameplay issues, the overall consensus is that the game delivers a poignant and memorable emotional experience.
- “This game is one of the most brutal and emotionally harrowing gaming experiences I've had.”
- “It is really touching and painful losing one of the cubs.”
- “This game made me cry almost every time I played it just like Shelter 2 and Paws did; it's a pretty game with beautiful music in my opinion.”
music
448 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
40%
2%
The music in the game has been widely praised for its beautiful, atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the emotional experience and immersion throughout gameplay. Many players noted that the soundtrack complements the visuals and gameplay, creating a serene yet tense ambiance that resonates with the game's themes of survival and nurturing. While some found the music delightful and fitting, a few critiques mentioned it could be uninspiring or repetitive at times, but overall, it remains a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's charm.
- “The music is perfect, matching the scenes depicted in the game perfectly, from the peaceful serenity depicted in some areas to the sheer panic as a bird of prey threatens your family.”
- “The soundtrack itself is wonderful, blending into the game perfectly.”
- “The music keeps the pace perfectly and I started to get attached to the little badger pups as the game went on.”
- “The music is similarly inoffensive but uninspiring.”
- “Maybe I've been spoiled with such intense soundtracks as the original Lord of the Rings trilogy's OST, or hell, even the Tron: Legacy music, both of which were awe-inspiring to say the least, but Shelter's sound and music just felt jagged, stale, and unstimulating.”
- “Also, the music is not the best; I ended up muting it.”
atmosphere
128 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
35%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and emotional qualities, enhanced by a charming soundtrack and stunning visuals. Players appreciate the blend of tension and tranquility, with moments that evoke a bittersweet and cozy feeling, particularly through the interactions of the mother badger and her cubs. Overall, the game's unique art style and atmospheric sound design create a captivating experience that resonates deeply with players, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics.
- “The game has a great atmosphere that keeps you on your toes throughout the journey.”
- “Gorgeous vistas and stunning natural detail make for a fantastic atmosphere.”
- “Art style, atmosphere, and soundtrack all come together to create a great experience that really puts you in the shoes of an animal without turning it into a purely mechanical challenge.”
- “However, the game is built for atmosphere and game feel rather than gameplay, so I don't necessarily find it to be a significant flaw.”
- “The lack of direction and slow pace is frustrating, rather than adding to the atmosphere.”
- “I'm the last one to bash a small, indie game for its looks, but there are some things you just can't do without killing your atmosphere.”
replayability
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
63%
26%
Overall, the game exhibits low to moderate replayability, with many users noting its short length (around 1 to 1.5 hours) and linear gameplay as significant factors limiting replay value. While some players appreciate the potential for multiple playthroughs to achieve different outcomes or explore additional modes, such as nurture mode, the consensus leans towards a lack of substantial content to warrant repeated play. Many recommend purchasing the game on sale due to its limited replayability.
- “Good, fun, and with a surprising amount of replay value, I'd say this game is worth every penny.”
- “Most of the replay value would be in wanting to explore more in-depth, or finishing the game with all five cubs if you didn't the first time.”
- “Definitely worth the price, you get a lot of replay value for such a small price.”
- “In the end, there is very little replay value and no achievements to struggle for, but it was fun to check out.”
- “There's just about 0 replayability to the game, and while that's not terrible, it certainly isn't worth very much to buy a game that takes just over an hour to play, only to be met with nothing different on another iteration of the game.”
- “Only downside is that the game doesn't really have any replay value, and isn't really that long.”
grinding
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
16%
81%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and slow, often requiring a significant time investment that feels more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay. Players frequently mention a lack of direction and repetitive tasks that detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration rather than engagement. While some elements, like the art style, are appreciated, they are overshadowed by the monotonous nature of the grinding.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Very boring...tedious.”
- “The concept is sort of interesting but the gameplay is really slow and tedious.”
- “Great art style, uncompelling predictable narrative, tedious gameplay and just boring in general.”
stability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is frequently described as "buggy," with users reporting various glitches, including freezing, graphical issues, and unresponsive controls. While these problems are noted as annoying, they are generally not considered game-breaking, allowing players to still enjoy the beautiful visuals and music. Overall, the stability issues suggest that the game may still be in an early development stage.
- “Right from the get-go, the game was buggy.”
- “Then about 20 minutes in, the game freezes.”
- “Buggy as hell, the thing moves forward when I don't even touch my keyboard, the cubes won't follow me whatever I do, I try to feed them but there's no key for it, nothing works, I can't even leave the lair; it looks like it's still in alpha.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues, including drastic FPS drops even on high-end systems. Many found the optimization to be inconsistent and lacking, leading to frustration and, in some cases, uninstallation and refund requests. Overall, the game's performance is deemed unoptimized and disappointing.
- “[*] Game performance: 10/10”
- “Unstable optimization”
- “The only real possible downside is, maybe, the performance issues, with FPS taking huge drops even on high-end hardware.”
- “Between the bad performance, the inconsistent settings, and lackluster optimization, not to mention the lack of any kind of tutorial at the start (even just a hint would've been nice), only 30-some minutes in, I'm uninstalling it and requesting a refund.”
- “Unstable optimization.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of memorable moments that range from funny to tense and sad, particularly involving the antics of the badger family. Players appreciate the lightheartedness of certain situations, such as baby badgers getting stuck in amusing spots, although some technical issues and gameplay confusion can detract from the overall experience.
- “This game really makes you care about the badger family, so much so that I felt sad when I lost a cub and pondered playing again from scratch. There were many memorable moments... some were tense, some were funny, and some were sad.”
- “I was really intrigued by the concept, and at first, I just thought it was a bit funny.”
- “Having the baby badgers get stuck in funny corners and the camera angles clipping into trees and terrain added a humorous touch to the experience.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is praised for its effectiveness, with players noting that their choices significantly influenced the story's progression. However, some players expressed a desire for certain characters, like Juniour, to have a more favorable outcome.
- “The character development was impressive; the choices I made significantly influenced how the story unfolded. I would have liked for Junior to make it, but you can't have it all, haha.”
- “The character development was good, and the way my choices affected the story was engaging. I wish Junior could have made it, but that's part of the experience, haha.”