Whalien: Unexpected Guests

Whalien – Unexpected Guests offers a fun and quirky platforming adventure packed with satisfying physics-based puzzling. It’s ALWAYS cool to see how you can cause chaos across each environment with your handy gadgets, whilst the world itself looks wonderful, is full of colour, and feels good to explore. Sure, it is a bit on the easy side and the journey isn’t a particularly long one, but there’s definitely plenty on offer here to keep puzzle-platforming fans entertained.

83%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

100% User Score Based on 38 reviews

Critic Score 76%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

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About

Whalien: Unexpected Guests is a single player casual platformer game with comedy and kids themes. It was developed by Forbidden Folds and was released on January 24, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Push and Pull your way through this heartfelt adventure! Fin, the mechanical whale you call home, is plagued by mischievous Squiddies. As Ernest Hemingwhale you set out on a Fin-tastic journey to help your friend with his unexpected guests.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 38 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

Whalien features gorgeous visuals and a unique art style that enhances the gameplay experience.
The puzzles are engaging and challenging, with a fun push-pull mechanic that adds to the enjoyment.
The game is filled with humor, charming characters, and a delightful soundtrack that creates a joyful atmosphere.

The game is relatively short, leaving players wanting more content.
Some players may find the chaotic gameplay overwhelming at times.
While the puzzles are intriguing, a few players wished for more complexity and depth.

gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The gameplay is highly praised for its engaging physics-based mechanics and interactive challenges, allowing players to explore and discover a detailed game world. The push-pull mechanic and magnetic gloves add a fun and satisfying layer to the experience, complemented by a vibrant art style and a fitting soundtrack. Overall, players find the gameplay enjoyable, with intriguing puzzles and a seamless integration of story and mechanics.
- “I love that the gameplay is full of physics-based skills and challenges that everyone can interact with in their own way.”
- “It's a really great game; the push-pull mechanic is such a fun, yet simple idea and extremely satisfying!”
- “The game world as well as the mechanics are very detailed, and you have a lot to discover.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The graphics of Whalien are widely praised for their gorgeous, candy-like art style and intricate details that enhance the game's world-building. Players appreciate the vibrant colors and beautifully designed objects that contribute to the overall fun and immersive experience, although some express a desire for more content to explore. The visuals, combined with a great soundtrack, create an engaging atmosphere that complements the gameplay.
- “Whalien is a fun game with gorgeous visuals and tons of detail that is easily missed if you don't look closely at all the stuff in the whale!”
- “I love the art style and how every single corner of the world is filled with beautifully designed objects that say a bit more about the main character.”
- “You can feel that they had a ton of fun creating this: the crazy candy-like art style, the banger soundtrack, and the funny story.”
- “The graphics are quite disappointing; they feel outdated and lack the detail that modern games offer.”
- “While the art style has potential, the execution falls flat, making the visuals feel bland and uninspired.”
- “The environments are poorly designed, lacking the depth and vibrancy that would make the game visually engaging.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is highly praised for its engaging and upbeat soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, making players want to groove along. Coupled with a vibrant art style and entertaining story, the soundtrack contributes significantly to keeping the gameplay fun and immersive, ensuring that exploration remains enjoyable.
- “The soundtrack of the game makes you want to groove along.”
- “You can feel that they had a ton of fun creating this: the crazy candy-like art style, the banger soundtrack, and the funny story.”
- “And even though I spent most of the time exploring, it never gets boring because of the unique art style and the great music!”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in Whalien is a standout feature, characterized by its whimsical art style, engaging soundtrack, and a funny storyline that invites players to explore and uncover numerous puns and jokes. Reviewers appreciate the joyful experience and the evident fun the creators had in crafting the game, making it a delightful adventure filled with exciting puzzles and comedic elements.
- “Whalien is a joyful experience with a humorous look and filled with exciting puzzles.”
- “You can feel that they had a ton of fun creating this: the crazy candy-like art style, the banger soundtrack, and the funny story.”
- “There's so much to explore and little details to discover; I enjoyed trying to find all the puns and jokes (and I find them way too funny).”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story is described as cute, easy to follow, and enjoyable, with a humorous tone that complements the vibrant art style and engaging gameplay. Reviewers appreciate the fun atmosphere and express excitement for a potential sequel, highlighting the seamless integration of story and mechanics.
- “The story is cute and easy to follow and leaves room for a sequel, which I am very much looking forward to!”
- “You can feel that they had a ton of fun creating this: the crazy candy-like art style, the banger soundtrack, and the funny story.”
- “The gameplay and story fit very well together; I love the art style and the bright colors, and the magnetic handy gloves make for pure chaos, which is so much fun!”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly even amidst chaotic visuals, with no reported bugs or crashes, enhancing the overall experience.
- “And although there's total (and intentional) chaos on the screen sometimes, the game runs smoothly and without bugs or crashes, which makes the experience even better.”