Skully

68%
Game Brain Score Based on 71 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Skully Game Cover
Be the mud (in a skull) in a slinging match between siblings.
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"Skully" is a single-player fantasy platformer game offering about 5 hours of playtime. Players control a reanimated skull named Skully, who is tasked with intervening in a war between three sibling deities threatening their island home. Skully can transform into three distinct forms to overcome challenges and defeat enemies, and must traverse 18 levels in 7 different ecosystems. The game features a compelling story with fully voiced dialogue and cutscenes.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

68%
Audience ScoreBased on 71 reviews
story13 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • The game features charming graphics in a 'Claymation' style, enhancing the overall aesthetic experience.
  • The voice acting and story are engaging, adding depth and emotional resonance to the gameplay.
  • Controls are generally tight, making the platforming experience enjoyable despite some challenging sections.
  • The game suffers from inconsistent difficulty, with some sections being overly challenging and lacking sufficient checkpoints.
  • Many players find the collision detection and camera controls frustrating, leading to repeated deaths and a sense of unfairness.
  • Collectibles are often deemed pointless, detracting from the overall gameplay experience and motivation to explore.
  • story37 mentions

    The game's story is generally well-received, with players appreciating its charm, emotional depth, and character engagement, despite its simplicity and occasional predictability. While the narrative starts strong, some reviews note a decline in quality towards the end, and the presentation—mixing stills with animated cutscenes—can feel inconsistent. Overall, it offers a fun, story-driven experience that resonates with players, though it may not break new ground in storytelling.

    • “The story was sometimes cute, sometimes sad, and it made me actually care about the characters.”
    • “With all that said, Skully is a fun and decently challenging platformer with a good story, good graphics, fun mechanics, and all around great charm, and I would suggest it to any platformer gamer out there.”
    • “But there is a story behind it all that is, in my opinion, worth listening to.”
    • “However, good things only last for a while, since the quality of the story drops off significantly by the end, and the poor music looping quickly becomes boring.”
    • “[significant decline in story quality at the end of the game, music loops far too quickly, in-game collectibles don’t provide any value and are only there for achievement hunting]”
    • “[dull story and grating dialogue, most of Skully’s forms a drag to play as, careless, arbitrary level design, aggravating puzzles, terrible camera, no truly new ideas]”
  • graphics17 mentions

    The graphics in Skully are generally praised for their unique 'claymation' style and charming world designs, offering a visually appealing experience compared to other 3D platformers. However, some players noted inconsistencies, such as the jarring transition between still story sequences and fully animated battle cut-scenes, as well as issues with blurry visuals and outdated graphics. Overall, while the visuals contribute positively to the game's charm, they are not without their flaws.

    • “The graphics look real compared to other 3D platformers, in a 'claymation' style.”
    • “While Skully is not Ghost of Tsushima in terms of graphics, I really enjoyed them and thought it was well done and adds charm to the game.”
    • “+ beautiful graphics.”
    • “Skully has some interesting gameplay involving your multiple forms, but is ultimately let down by checkpoint issues and blurry visuals.”
    • “Terrible camera management, outdated graphics, errors in the collision system.”
  • gameplay16 mentions

    The gameplay in Skully is generally enjoyable, particularly in the early chapters where platforming is accessible and fun, though some mechanics can feel inconsistent as the game progresses. While the multiple forms and creative world design add depth and replayability, issues like checkpoint problems and linearity detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game is praised for its charm, characters, and soundtrack, making it a solid choice for platformer enthusiasts.

    • “With all that said, Skully is a fun and decently challenging platformer with a good story, good graphics, fun mechanics, and all-around great charm. I would suggest it to any platformer gamer out there.”
    • “Skully is a simple platformer that boasts fun characters, a great soundtrack, and creative gameplay; all of which provide a rewarding experience by the end of it.”
    • “Skully has some interesting gameplay involving your multiple forms, but is ultimately let down by checkpoint issues and blurry visuals.”
    • “No biggie, but some of the other mechanics I found were a bit inconsistent.”
    • “- the collectibles are pointless and this unbalances the harmony of the gameplay.”
    • “[extremely linear, mechanics grow tired quickly]”
  • music15 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising the soundtrack and voice acting (VAS) as highlights that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some players note that the music can become repetitive and boring over time, particularly due to its looping nature. Overall, while the soundtrack contributes positively to the atmosphere, its quality may diminish as the game progresses.

    • “The one definite upside is the soundtrack and voice acting; I quite like listening to the music during runs, and the voice acting did a great job with each character. The dialogue, in my opinion, is quite funny.”
    • “Skully is a simple platformer that boasts fun characters, a great soundtrack, and creative gameplay; all of which provide a rewarding experience by the end of it.”
    • “However, good things only last for a while, since the quality of the story drops off significantly by the end, and the poor music looping quickly becomes boring.”
    • “Significant decline in story quality at the end of the game, music loops far too quickly, in-game collectibles don’t provide any value and are only there for achievement hunting.”
    • “The music is decent as well.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game is praised for its smooth performance, particularly on the Steam Deck, with users noting that it runs well overall. The controls are generally responsive, contributing to an enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “Fun game that runs smoothly on deck.”
    • “Fun game that runs smoothly on deck.”
    • “[The form mechanic makes for some decent puzzles, the supporting cast puts in a great performance, and Skully controls fairly well.]”
  • humor3 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate the humor in the game, highlighting the witty dialogue and character interactions as particularly funny. The soundtrack and atmospheric elements complement the humor, creating an engaging experience. Overall, the game's unique style of humor adds to its charm.

    • “The dialogue, in my opinion, is quite funny and adds a lot to the overall experience.”
    • “The soundtrack features some atmospheric tunes, and the humor has a peculiar style that really stands out.”
    • “The voice acting does a great job with each character, making the interactions genuinely entertaining.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    While the game features lovable characters, a well-crafted soundtrack, and unique gameplay elements that enhance its replayability, some users feel it ultimately lacks sufficient replay value. The creative world design and physics engine contribute positively, but the overall experience may not encourage repeated playthroughs.

    • “The lovable characters, well-crafted soundtrack, and creative world design, combined with a fantastic physics engine, provide endless replayability with unique gameplay elements.”
    • “Each playthrough feels fresh and exciting due to the diverse choices and outcomes available, making it a game you can return to time and again.”
    • “The variety of gameplay styles and challenges ensures that no two runs are the same, keeping the experience engaging and highly replayable.”
    • “Lacks replay value.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unenjoyable, citing frustrating character controls, poor level design, and repetitive puzzles as major contributors to the experience. Additionally, the motivation provided by collectible leaves for optional challenges is deemed insufficient, further diminishing engagement. Overall, the combination of these elements leads to a lackluster and monotonous gameplay experience.

    • “Characters that are a chore to handle, sloppy level design, lousy camera controls, irritating puzzles, and a general lack of personality combine to create a profoundly tedious experience.”
    • “Collectible leaves aren't great motivation for optional challenges; puzzles with lots of body-switching can get tedious; storybook cutscene animation style feels jarring.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game delivers a surprisingly emotional and engaging narrative, with well-developed characters that leave a lasting impact. Its beautiful setting, combined with great art direction and a compelling soundtrack, enhances the overall emotional experience.

    • “The narrative and characters really had an emotional impact by the end, and the game’s setting is quite beautiful for the most part.”
    • “Surprisingly emotional and engaging story and characters, great art direction and soundtrack.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a captivating soundtrack featuring atmospheric tunes, complemented by a dynamic lighting system that creates visually striking scenes. Additionally, its unique style of humor contributes to an engaging and immersive experience.

    • “The soundtrack is fantastic, featuring atmospheric tunes that enhance the overall experience.”
    • “The lighting system creates stunning scenes that draw you into the game world.”
    • “The unique style of humor adds an intriguing layer to the atmosphere.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

62% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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