Owlboy

 PC
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 273 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 182 out of 273
  2. Mixed: 60 out of 273
  3. Negative: 31 out of 273
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  1. Fuz
    Nov 14, 2016
    8
    Game is, overall, pretty good.
    The graphic style is absolutely wonderful, ut's gorgeous and a feast for the eyes. One of the best pixel arts I've seen in those last years. The main character is adorable, the story and setting very interesting.
    Too bad it falls short on the gameplay part. First of all, the flying mechanic isn't really great on a metroidvania. Makes exploration too    Game is, overall, pretty good.
    The graphic style is absolutely wonderful, ut's gorgeous and a feast for the eyes. One of the best pixel arts I've seen in those last years. The main character is adorable, the story and setting very interesting.
    Too bad it falls short on the gameplay part.
    First of all, the flying mechanic isn't really great on a metroidvania. Makes exploration too simplicistic and it's not really fun overall. Should have been better with classic platform mechanics... but, well, he's an owlboy, after all.
    Keyboard controls are thight and responsive, and THANK GOD you can rebind every single key, a feature too often overlooked by bad games with terrible UIs, but there are too many actions bound to a single key. The right mouse click can: grab something, let you fall from flying, use/read... which means that you'll often fall by mistake or do the wrong action by mistake. It's really, really annoying. Why not allow us to bind those actions to different keys?
    Combat is meh. Shooting isn't very precise and the "spin" attack is horrible: no range, too much inertia. Basically unusable. Also, why the throw trajectory is different from the actual throw? It's dumb.
    The cutscenes. Oh god. Probably the worst flaw. They interrupt the gameplay CONSTANTLY and they often last too long without adding any meaningful information. Let me play, goddammit, stop interrupting me!
    Overall a pretty decent game who fall short on stupid, easily avoidable, issues.
    I really hope for a sequel to fix the problems.    … Expand
  2. Sjalka
    Nov 2, 2016
    8
    The visuals are great. UI and controls are crisp - and so far ( a few hours into the game without haste ) .. gameplay is very fair. ( with good pacing of challenging sections and relaxing sections every now and then )This is what hand-drawn graphics should look like... vibrant and colourful, detailed and well animated.

    The story is lovely and fits the design style perfectly. The player    The visuals are great. UI and controls are crisp - and so far ( a few hours into the game without haste ) .. gameplay is very fair. ( with good pacing of challenging sections and relaxing sections every now and then )This is what hand-drawn graphics should look like... vibrant and colourful, detailed and well animated.

    The story is lovely and fits the design style perfectly. The player character is charming and one might instantly want him to succeed. The game also features good music (..mind you, i am one of those players that usually turns off in-game music by default... with rare exceptions like Transistor or Bioshock)

    The game mechanics are rather easy to learn but can still be challenging when being forced to use those mechanics in a frantic move or in rapid combos.

    The only "problem" i experienced was subtle (and rarely not so subtle) pop-ins ... as well as sometimes strange collision detection.

    All in all i can fully recommend that game for people that like a casual adventure with light puzzles and a little bit of action.    … Expand
  3. Kvr
    Nov 2, 2016
    9
    This captures the spirit of Zelda. Everything in this game breaths adventure. Graphics are so stylish and everything seems so alive. And then the music, so epic. Don't waste your time, this is why I still play games.
  4. Amano_Ginji
    Nov 4, 2016
    10
    Awesome game. Awesome music, game-play, plot. Real adventure. This game will not give you time think about anything else. The amount of love put in this game will amaze you.
  5. Habbsinator
    Nov 2, 2016
    10
    I LOVE Owlboy!! I'm only a few hours into this gorgeous adventure, but Otus stole my heart with the first flap of his capewings. The pickup/throw/teleport mechanic is incredibly clever, and gives it a hint of puzzler feel on top of the incredible story telling. The dialogue is witty yet doesnt try to be something it isnt. The controls are intuitive and a breeze to grasp, yet it doesntI LOVE Owlboy!! I'm only a few hours into this gorgeous adventure, but Otus stole my heart with the first flap of his capewings. The pickup/throw/teleport mechanic is incredibly clever, and gives it a hint of puzzler feel on top of the incredible story telling. The dialogue is witty yet doesnt try to be something it isnt. The controls are intuitive and a breeze to grasp, yet it doesnt feel like I've already mastered everything it can throw at me. If you have any sort of light in your soul, and love a good soundtrack behind an amazing adventure, you cant pick up Owlboy fast enough!!… Expand
  6. szarkam
    Nov 4, 2016
    10
    You know that feeling of disappointment you get when something you've been waiting for, for a very long time is finally released and it's bad? It might not even be objectively bad, but it gets crushed under the weight of its own hype, and is ultimately a disappointment. Owlboy does not suffer that fate; this game is absolutely unreal.

    Only a few hours in and I am so invested in Otus    You know that feeling of disappointment you get when something you've been waiting for, for a very long time is finally released and it's bad? It might not even be objectively bad, but it gets crushed under the weight of its own hype, and is ultimately a disappointment. Owlboy does not suffer that fate; this game is absolutely unreal.

    Only a few hours in and I am so invested in Otus and his friends, and where their story is going that the game is taunting me when I have to go to work. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, so I'll keep it very simple in my praise. The flying mechanic feels perfect, the platforming is fun and occasionally challenging, the story is beautifully well written, and this game is just flat out fun.

    Don't complain about price (a minimum of 10 hours of fun for $25 is pretty damn good) just buy it and enjoy.    … Expand
  7. JLK88
    Nov 6, 2016
    9
    Very well made story driven adventure game. Whether the game is at full price or on sale snatch it up and give it a run. Recommended to those that could use an old school type game in a modernized package.
  8. shaoran2
    Nov 3, 2016
    9
    Owlboy is unforgettable, a mix of zelda and metroidvania .
    one of the best games of 2016 Very balanced gameplay very convenient controls and some endearing characters.
  9. Underpants158
    Nov 18, 2016
    9
    PROS:
    -Great characters and story
    -Nice art style and charming tone. -Great boss fights. Seriously, some of the most fun boss fights I have had in a long time. OKS!: -Your 3 "weapons" that are acually people you carry aren't as interesting or game changing ast hey could have been. You have a pistol, a shotgun, and a guy who can sling you across obstacles. The sling guy is utilized    PROS:
    -Great characters and story
    -Nice art style and charming tone.
    -Great boss fights. Seriously, some of the most fun boss fights I have had in a long time.

    OKS!:
    -Your 3 "weapons" that are acually people you carry aren't as interesting or game changing ast hey could have been. You have a pistol, a shotgun, and a guy who can sling you across obstacles. The sling guy is utilized well in boss fights but in the levels not so much.
    -A few times I questioned the design choices for instance in one scene you are riding something (not gonna give it away) and you control the vehicle only using up and down but the camera angle keeps changing and the controls don't so you are constantly having to readjust mentally. It was a small part but eh, I didn't care for it.
    -7 hours long. I like that personally but just something I figure people should know

    CONS!:
    -None really.

    Conclusion: Boss fights and the charm of the characters and story really drive it home for me and make the game great even if I have criticisms.    … Expand
  10. KyleS
    Jan 6, 2017
    10
    Wonderful game with a beautiful nostalgic look. If you enjoy games like Fez and Shovel Knight you'll love this game! I wish there were a map, that's my only gripe about this game. Besides that, it's a great game. Very relaxing and enjoyable.
  11. Steeldude
    Apr 27, 2017
    8
    A nice platformer with fun flying mechanics. The graphics looks nice and the sound is also good. But I had the feeling that the story could have been deeper and more characters could have been further developed throughout the game. Other than that, I recommend this title.
  12. AzurealZX
    Jan 6, 2017
    10
    Unforgettable adventure and will definetely remain a cult classic.
    Graphically, it's the best looking hi-bit game to date. It's gorgeous and it's soundtrack really fits it's visuals both in in terms of setting an atmosphere for the gorgeous world and in quality.
    Gameplay : Flying is extremely fun, level design fits the gameplay and is not cheap at all. For a metroidvania, there    Unforgettable adventure and will definetely remain a cult classic.
    Graphically, it's the best looking hi-bit game to date. It's gorgeous and it's soundtrack really fits it's visuals both in in terms of setting an atmosphere for the gorgeous world and in quality.

    Gameplay :
    Flying is extremely fun, level design fits the gameplay and is not cheap at all.
    For a metroidvania, there really isn't that much exploration but it's nonetheless fun to explore.
    It's the really open ended levels that stand out. There are usually lots of ways to tackle a screen, at certain places your path is blocked by enemies and at others by dangerous stage hazards like thorns. You decide how you will overcome the screen.
    The friend mechanic is really good and fun to use. Quickly shifting between friends and dashing across the screen because your character's pretty fast can be really fun.    … Expand
  13. takethembowling
    Dec 26, 2016
    9
    Beautifully drawn pixel art style and great soundtrack. A likable cast of characters give the story surprising emotional depth. Gameplay is solid though a bit short. The game feels hand crafted, lots of work and attention to detail went into it.
  14. Neper
    Nov 15, 2016
    9
    I had so much fun with this game. The platforming action has the perfect pace for my taste, and I really dig the flying twist, and the art style is just lovely.
  15. Nathurior
    Jan 9, 2017
    9
    10/10 ign lolololololololololololololololololollolololololololololollol ol ol o lo lo l ol o lo lo lo l ol ol o lo lo l ol o lo l ol o l lo lo ll o lo l o
  16. TikiTy
    May 30, 2017
    10
    Owlboy is a masterpiece. I started thinking this around 3-4 hours in. The pacing is fantastic, the environments are varied and never get stale. The story is deep enough and dialogue isn't drawn out so the action is never bogged down. There is also quite a bit of humor with the little penguin henchmen who work for the shopkeep. Had me laughing more than most games.
    Combat for the    Owlboy is a masterpiece. I started thinking this around 3-4 hours in. The pacing is fantastic, the environments are varied and never get stale. The story is deep enough and dialogue isn't drawn out so the action is never bogged down. There is also quite a bit of humor with the little penguin henchmen who work for the shopkeep. Had me laughing more than most games.
    Combat for the first few hours of the game wasn't very difficult though it was still very enjoyable and from then on it ramps up in difficulty. The gradual difficulty curve I found to be very smooth so no fight ever really felt out of place. There are zones where you can't just rush through or you will be punished for sure (enemies chase you outside of their screen).
    My only gripe is the "twist" in the very end is a bit silly and left me thinking a majority of this conflict could have been resolved much earlier if the characters would have communicated better.
    Great game, I played through it in one day which is very uncommon for me. The last game I spent a whole Sunday playing was Breath of the Wild and before that... who knows.    … Expand
  17. jokerdeus
    Dec 29, 2017
    10
    I can't believe how beautiful this game is !!!
    On top of that, the adventure is just so sweet to do. It's never boring, always things are happening and the story goes on. Characters are really well designed and there are tons of beautiful and expressive animations.
    I absolutely love the atmosphere and the story is also good and original. To me this is definitely the best adventure    I can't believe how beautiful this game is !!!
    On top of that, the adventure is just so sweet to do. It's never boring, always things are happening and the story goes on. Characters are really well designed and there are tons of beautiful and expressive animations.
    I absolutely love the atmosphere and the story is also good and original. To me this is definitely the best adventure platformer of 2016.    … Expand
  18. robomartion
    Jul 28, 2022
    9
    Owlboy captures what gaming is all about - being immersed in another world. It harkens back to the golden days of getting cosy and playing Zelda.
  19. SuperkenGaming
    Jun 4, 2018
    8
    Owlboy
    ridiculous heart
    Youre a young mute owl that everybody underestimates reguarded as unworthy and a disappointment by your villiage but you set out to prove yourself with your best friend geddy and take down the pirates that are out here tryna collect some relics and use their power for evil Owlboy is a very unique 12 hour long platformer like game wit ha ridiculous amount of    Owlboy
    ridiculous heart
    Youre a young mute owl that everybody underestimates
    reguarded as unworthy and a disappointment by your villiage
    but you set out to prove yourself with your best friend geddy and take down the pirates that are out here tryna collect some relics and use their power for evil
    Owlboy is a very unique 12 hour long platformer like game wit ha ridiculous amount of heart put into it.
    There is so much charm and care put into the pixilated annimations, in the characters you meet throughout your journey both in their personality and their diolog…
    this is basically a platformer where youll be flying and shooting instead of jumping..
    at first you have your best friend geddy with you..
    you can carry him and use him to help you shoot through obstacles and shoot enemies in your way as you make it through this games different levels, doing small puzzles and throwing switches, collecting as many coins as you can to spend on upgrades..
    and as the game goes on youll unlock more characters to handle other obstacles, and you can switch through these characters freely,
    The level design here starts out really charming but for me I liked the game less and less as it went on..
    levels stopped feeling like a treat to get through and more like a chore…
    they just drag on forever..
    all of them containing multiple boss fights which are the most frustrating but most satisfying aspect of this game..
    regular enemies are challenging enough.. though there are fruits you can grab to refill your health.. in boss fights theres no fruit grabbing, you gotta beat them with the health that you have at that point… all of them taking multiple tries for me to defeat… some of them making me want to stop the game.. but at the same time fair enough to make me feel like im losing because of me.. its my fault,, I can get back in there and beat this boss and once I did it was a great feeling of relief getting to continue through the level or go onto the next…
    The charm of the characters and the challenge of the boss fights waiting for me is what really pulled me through this game as after about the 2nd level things started to feel like your pretty standard platforming levels… I felt the heart draining the deeper the game got and I feel it over stays its welcome a bit…
    my biggest issue with this game though is its current stability problems…
    the game crashed on me more than 5 times.. theres one spot towards the end where if you die in that spot the game crashes every time without fail, but the most heartbreaking crash was after a hard boss fight that I was on like try number 12, I finnaly beat the boss trophy pops and crash, I have to do it all over again..
    having beat them before beating them again was nothing.. but it was still annoying..
    Owlboy is worth pushing through its crashes and late game level design just for the heart put into its story characters and world…
    it’s a shame I stopped having fun playing the game.. but I never stopped enjoying it…
    I give Owlboy an 8/10    … Expand
  20. Melgacius
    Jun 18, 2018
    9
    Owlboy was released recently for XBox and PS4, which made me go search in my game library to see if I already own it. I found it and spent 10 hours delighted with the game. Simply gorgeous.

    I think the introduction says it all, but I suspect you're expecting to listen a few more lines. Owlboy has been in development for almost 10 years and went almost unnoticed when it was released on    Owlboy was released recently for XBox and PS4, which made me go search in my game library to see if I already own it. I found it and spent 10 hours delighted with the game. Simply gorgeous.

    I think the introduction says it all, but I suspect you're expecting to listen a few more lines. Owlboy has been in development for almost 10 years and went almost unnoticed when it was released on PC. It is a puzzle platformer in which we solve some relatively easy puzzles to advance. Otus, our main character, sees his land attacked by pirates and creates a group of friends, consisting of characters once devalued by their peers, to try to save their world. It has to be said that it is a very well written story, with well characterized characters, each one with its own history, more or less detailed to the point that we sincerely care about all of them. Even some of the side characters or villains are extremely well represented. It's a linear story, with a small twist at the end, but very well set and explained. My only problem with the story, and not wanting to spoil it, is the final battle. In addition some of the dialogues become rather extense, although I believe that little or nothing could be excluded from the final product.
    Graphically the game was a surprise. I expected a Shovel Knight-like artstyle but the way they used the pixelart in this game, combining it with high-resolution graphics, immense details on the movements and expressions. The construction of worlds and scenarios goes far beyond the games that try emulate retro games. For example Otus does not speak but the facial and body expressions details are more than enough to perceive all their emotions and we can even imagine a whole dialogue just with them. Recently I spoke about the attention given to detail in Sea of Thieves and Owlboy is another great example of how to build a world and how to use art to do something well made.
    The game soundtrack does not disappoint and remarkably follows the tone of each. When we are quietly exploring the world the music is calm and relaxing, and when we are in a fighting section or when we need to do fast movements the music becomes more intense and dynamic. I liked the sound effects for each one of the movements and actions of the characters and even the sounds for the dialog boxes, and although nothing is extraordinary, undoubtedly a competent job was made.

    How do you play this? I tried to play it as a twin stick shooter, but at one point I got tired of it because it's so much easier to simply use keyboard and mouse. There was nothing fundamentally wrong with the configuration of the controller, but when the game reached a difficulty spike, I did not have enough skill to overcome a boss or a more demanding section, so I choose for the easier solution... change the controller.

    In this game we control Otus which as a standalone character does very little. He flies, twirls, and spins. The secret and charm of the game is that he can pick up any of his three friends and take advantage of their different abilities to progress through levels or areas that we would not have access to without them.

    Although the amount of enemies is not great, combat rarely seems repetitive because the way they appear, leads us to use different techniques to overcome them in each of those moments.
    The puzzles are relatively simple and often obvious, which means that you have the feeling that boss battles have a remarkable difficulty spike and required me numerous attempts to outcome most of them. The fact that the controls were somewhat confusing, which made me do multiple mistakes also did not help. In sections where we have time to think there was no big problem other than the frequent annoyance of picking up the friend rather than picking up an item or picking the wrong character, but during quick sequences a mistake ruins everything and in those times it becomes frequent.
    There are lots of collectibles and hidden areas that reward both exploration and the repetition of some of the areas when we gain access to new characters. Defeating enemies in a certain way also gives you access to new items.

    In a nutshell the game is this. A lovely world with characters with whom we can easily create a relationship. Graphically it managed to impress me by the way they included so many detail in the pixel art. A very engaging story. A game and also an experience that I highly recommend. Now available on all platforms, if you have the opportunity to play it do not discard this game.    … Expand
  21. SrFabricius
    Sep 13, 2017
    9
    Such a wonderful time playing this game. Like a lot of reviewers are saying, its a nostalgia trip. The controls are so delightful, the story so warm hearted. My only problem with it is kinda of short, but probably not a bad thing, it gives me the sensation of "i want it more".
  22. aditya1101
    Oct 5, 2017
    9
    I really loved this game. The graphics are great, the OST is one of the best I've heard in a while, and the characters are excellent. My only criticism is that I never truly felt like I was able to master the controls - it never felt 100% intuitive in the way that a game like hollow knight or transistor does.
  23. savvym
    May 10, 2020
    8
    Owlboy is a story adventure taking place in cloudy world with cave systems.

    Story 4.5/5 From the small owl we have a teacher who has despised us, soon enough the first problems appear and we'll coop with one of our friends. There are some surprising parts of story, turns and we'll get engaged with well done characters. It's not only serious and there are some funny moments. Lastly very    Owlboy is a story adventure taking place in cloudy world with cave systems.

    Story 4.5/5
    From the small owl we have a teacher who has despised us, soon enough the first problems appear and we'll coop with one of our friends. There are some surprising parts of story, turns and we'll get engaged with well done characters. It's not only serious and there are some funny moments. Lastly very interesting history of owls and enemies.

    Gameplay 4.5/5
    It has pretty big world, however there's no map in game. We'll be using 3 different companions and encounter challenging bosses who act in patterns. We'll have 4 different weapons or tools to beat various opponents and bosses, at some point we'll need each of them at once. There's a bonus level for finding lost creatures.

    Replay value 3/5
    This bonus mini game is quite challenging. We'll be collecting coins for special items and content which we can do after finishing main game. As mentioned, enemies are predictable once we figure out their patterns but they pose challenge at first encounter.

    Graphics 3.5/5
    Characters and environments are lively. There are traps and dangerous objects.

    How many hours?
    10-19.

    Hardware requirements?
    Low gaming.

    How difficult?
    Hard.

    Games similar to Owlboy?
    Gameplay: Yoku’s Island Express
    Graphically: Keep Me Burning

    Verdict
    8/10

    Interesting story-driven adventure. It has really cool characters and dialogues, though not voiced. Going through various cages and overcoming challenges is fun.

    Boss fights are hard at first, but every enemy is moving in same patterns. We are using our friends for solving certain puzzles or getting rid of different enemy types and obstacles. It is very well done.    … Expand
  24. NightGeisha
    Jan 2, 2019
    8
    Owlboy is a fantastic platform adventure game.
    The game is really unusual experience. An awesome platform game which leads us into a vast and rich world. It's a "breath of fresh air" in the genre and it has a very peculiar art style.
    The history is nice and the soundtrack is also pretty good. But what I like most was the awesome "retro" pixel graphic looks. Overall it's a "must have"    Owlboy is a fantastic platform adventure game.
    The game is really unusual experience. An awesome platform game which leads us into a vast and rich world. It's a "breath of fresh air" in the genre and it has a very peculiar art style.

    The history is nice and the soundtrack is also pretty good. But what I like most was the awesome "retro" pixel graphic looks. Overall it's a "must have" to any fan of the platform games genre.    … Expand
  25. SilverOrlov
    Feb 5, 2019
    10
    I would like to express my gratitude to this game studio for the OwlBoy. This game was the first in which I played, acquiring a gamepad for my PC. For me, it was a great revelation that a simple graphics platform could turn out to be a beautiful atmospheric world with a deep and interesting plot. OwlBoy gave the first impression of this genre of games. I would like to tell for people thatI would like to express my gratitude to this game studio for the OwlBoy. This game was the first in which I played, acquiring a gamepad for my PC. For me, it was a great revelation that a simple graphics platform could turn out to be a beautiful atmospheric world with a deep and interesting plot. OwlBoy gave the first impression of this genre of games. I would like to tell for people that made this game "Thank you very much for this generous gift to me as a player".… Expand
  26. masterclock
    May 11, 2021
    8
    great start bad ending
    game starts with a really cool story and great art i was hyped to see the ending but the game makes 2 fatal mistakes 1.ending is somewhat not good since i was expecting a better and more complex story it get predictable in the end.2.the gameplay gets boring late game it was ok in the begging but it the late game it is really boring(not bad boring)puzzles are easy    great start bad ending
    game starts with a really cool story and great art i was hyped to see the ending but the game makes 2 fatal mistakes 1.ending is somewhat not good since i was expecting a better and more complex story it get predictable in the end.2.the gameplay gets boring late game it was ok in the begging but it the late game it is really boring(not bad boring)puzzles are easy the only good thing about it was boss fights those were fun

    overall what makes this game good is it's art it ROCKS and the main reason i gave it 8 not 7    … Expand
  27. Chompeldino
    Apr 9, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Me gusta mucho, la historia la jugabilidad es muy buena, volar es muy satisfactorio, les recomiendo mucho el juego, la historia, jugabilidad y personajes hacen al juego único… Expand
  28. ErdemCBC
    Apr 25, 2023
    8
    Gayet iyi oyun kısa ve eğlenceli, hikayesi güzel , açık dünya oyunlardan kusmaya başladığım 2023 senesinde bana ilaç gibi geldi

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best PC Game of 2016
66
#66 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
57
#57 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 44 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. Riot Pixels
    Feb 22, 2017
    71
    All in all, it's a decent platformer worthy of your 10-20 hours of free time. But, as far as metroidvanias go, there is so much stuff to improve in the potential sequel, for example, a map, a teleport system, a bag of collectable items and lots of well-hidden secrets.
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  2. BaziCenter
    Feb 10, 2017
    80
    In development for nearly a decade, Owlboy has somehow managed to get every single thing right. From amazing storytelling to great characters, detailed pixel-art visuals to fluent gameplay, everything in this game is just the way it should be. Easily one of the best 2D platformers ever.
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  3. games(TM)
    Jan 27, 2017
    90
    Owlboy’s deceivingly simplistic delivery belies an enviable narrative, tourniquet-tight gameplay, and a cast you’ll fall in love with. Don’t miss it.
    Read full review
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