Xoo: Xeno Xafari
- August 6, 2020
- Willy Elektrix
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Xoo: Xeno Xafari" is a virtual reality game that takes players on an expedition to a distant alien planet. As a xeno-zoologist, you'll encounter and study a variety of exotic creatures while navigating through diverse environments. Use your wits, tools, and interactions with the creatures to survive and learn about the xeno-ecosystem.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features imaginative writing and quirky, colorful creatures that create a charming and humorous atmosphere.
- Xoo: Xeno Xafari is a relaxing collectathon that allows players to explore a vibrant world without the pressure of combat or time limits.
- The game is well-suited for casual play, making it perfect for short sessions or longer, laid-back gaming experiences.
- Gameplay can become repetitive and tedious, especially towards the end when searching for collectibles feels like a grind.
- The chance-based mechanics can lead to frustration, as players may struggle to find certain items or creatures.
- The lack of significant progression and story development in the latter half of the game can make the experience feel shallow and less engaging.
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Xoo: Xeno Xafari focuses on exploration and collection, reminiscent of classic 16-bit titles, with players engaging in a simple loop of wandering, collecting, and interacting with the environment. While the charming visuals and humorous writing enhance the experience, the repetitive nature of the gameplay and reliance on chance mechanics can lead to frustration and a sense of stagnation as the game progresses. Overall, the initial enjoyment may wane due to a lack of new mechanics and depth in the latter stages.
“The gameplay loop is simple: wake up, go rambling, pick up eggs, look at xenos, talk to robots, and explore the map.”
“Even though the gameplay isn't much beyond exploration and discovery, this little gem is uplifted by the quality of its writing and the variety of things there are to find.”
“Xoo: Xeno Xafari is a fast-paced collect-a-thon set on a deserted island full of alien life with a gameplay loop and art style that harken back to the 16-bit era of gaming, and immediately when I loaded into the game I knew I was in for something special.”
“The gameplay simply consists of walking up to stuff and looking at it -- perhaps collecting it based on one of your stats if it's a collectible.”
“Summary: with adorable visuals and incredibly hilarious writing, Xoo’s opening hours are a treat, but the game is really weighed down by extremely repetitive gameplay and chance mechanics that turn it from fun to tedious by the end.”
“A few cons would have to be the grind-like gameplay to find all the critters and collectibles.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Xoo: Xeno Xafari" are characterized by vibrant, color-coded zones and charming visuals reminiscent of 16-bit and Game Boy Color aesthetics, evoking a cheerful yet slightly twisted atmosphere. Players appreciate the thoughtful level design and the engaging art style, which, despite some limitations like two-frame animations for creatures, contribute to an enjoyable exploration experience. Overall, the graphics are praised for their appeal and complement the game's humorous writing, making for a visually delightful adventure.
“The art style in this game is just wonderful; it's super easy on the eyes while not looking so basic that it feels samey.”
“Xoo: Xeno Xafari is a fast-paced collect-a-thon set on a deserted island full of alien life with a gameplay loop and art style that harken back to the 16-bit era of gaming, and immediately when I loaded into the game I knew I was in for something special.”
“The game's limited graphical style also limits these creatures to a two-frame stationary animation, so be prepared to see lots of weird wiggling monsters.”
“The graphics are a mix between NES and Game Boy Color and very charming.”
“Xoo: Xeno Xafari is a fast-paced collect-a-thon set on a deserted island full of alien life with a gameplay loop and art style that harkens back to the 16-bit era of gaming, and immediately when I loaded into the game I knew I was in for something special.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its abundant humor, featuring a variety of funny characters, witty dialogue, and amusing descriptions for collectibles, which contribute to a lighthearted exploration experience. Players appreciate the absurdist humor found in the lore and interactions, often eliciting genuine laughter. However, while the humor shines in the early hours, some reviewers note that repetitive gameplay can diminish the overall enjoyment as the game progresses.
“It's a fun little exploration game with a ton of funny characters and descriptions, with a fun chiptune soundtrack to boot.”
“The best part of the game is the lore of the xenos and the collectibles, full of absurdist humor that made me laugh out loud several times.”
“Everything from the xeno descriptions to the emails I got consistently made me laugh out loud, which often isn’t the case with video games.”
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story is delivered through letters and notes, which some players find thematically connected to the gameplay, but ultimately lacking depth and resolution. While the initial emails from home provide intriguing narrative elements, they cease before the game's conclusion, leaving the story feeling incomplete and the character interactions underdeveloped. Overall, the pacing and structure of the story detract from the experience, making it less engaging for many players.
“You get a little bit of story from letters from home, which vary depending on your starting character, and notes sprinkled throughout.”
“Thematically, I think the game mechanics tie in well with the story it's trying to convey, although the experience might feel dry for many.”
“Thanks to the email system, I got to hear from people back at home. The ones that talked to me had fascinating story beats that I thought were going to be game-changers, but they ended up not going anywhere or resolving in a satisfying way.”
“Thanks to the email system, I got to hear from people back at home. The ones that talked to me had fascinating story beats that I thought were going to be literal game-changers but ended up not going anywhere or resolving in any satisfying way.”
“Well before the end of the game’s 10-hour runtime, all of the emails stopped, and with it, the story.”
“Overall, I enjoyed most of my time with the game, but between the pacing issues and a lack of story structure, I can’t see myself returning to the island anytime soon.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a fun chiptune soundtrack that complements the engaging exploration and humorous character dialogue. However, some players find it too frantic and repetitive, which detracts from the game's relaxing atmosphere, leading them to mute it in favor of their own music. Overall, while the soundtrack adds to the experience, it may not suit everyone's taste throughout the gameplay.
“It's a fun little exploration game with a ton of funny characters and descriptions, with a fun chiptune soundtrack to boot.”
“The dialogue for the characters is nice, the music is cool, the descriptions for the collectibles and the xenos are nicely written and many are funny, and the xeno designs are really cool.”
“Don't let yourself get frustrated just because it takes some time to track down every last little thing-- just relax, explore and enjoy the island with its great music, fun graphics and awesome writing.”
“My only pet peeve is that the music is too frantic and clashes with the relaxing atmosphere of the game (so, I play with sound but without music).”
“About the only thing I can't comment on is the music, since I'm usually playing it on mute while something else is on, but it's still fun and engaging.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, especially towards the end when searching for the last few collectibles becomes a chore. While the game's charming visuals and humor initially engage players, the repetitive gameplay and reliance on chance mechanics ultimately detract from the overall experience.
“It gets tedious towards the end of the game when you're trying to find the last few xenos, so do look out for that.”
“With adorable visuals and incredibly hilarious writing, Xoo’s opening hours are a treat, but the game is really weighed down by extremely repetitive gameplay and chance mechanics that turn it from fun to tedious by the end.”
“This may seem like a first-world problem, but the lack of Steam achievements also didn't feel great for a game that required a lot of grinding.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its uniqueness and charm, particularly through engaging side-stories delivered via emails. However, some players feel that the frantic music detracts from the otherwise relaxing ambiance, leading them to play without it.
“The atmosphere was really special, and the side stories via the 'emails' were charming.”
“The music is too frantic and clashes with the relaxing atmosphere of the game.”
“My only pet peeve is that the music is too frantic and clashes with the relaxing atmosphere of the game (so, I play with sound but without music).”
