Shelter

 PC
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 98 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 98
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 98
  3. Negative: 15 out of 98

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  1. HazeSpire
    Oct 5, 2013
    5
    A let down. It was a promising concept, I even voted for this game in Steam Greenlight. If you've seen the gameplay trailers, you've seen most of the game. It took me a really long time to play (I rarely ran), that is 2h 20min, so it's not a 50min game for me. Still, there's not much gameplay and it's more of an "experience" like Journey, To the Moon (both are a lot better than Shelter)A let down. It was a promising concept, I even voted for this game in Steam Greenlight. If you've seen the gameplay trailers, you've seen most of the game. It took me a really long time to play (I rarely ran), that is 2h 20min, so it's not a 50min game for me. Still, there's not much gameplay and it's more of an "experience" like Journey, To the Moon (both are a lot better than Shelter) and Dear Esther (this one's actually worse well, subjectively speaking). This game is definitely not worth its price, buy it for a few bucks and treat as a single evening entertainment (just like a movie).… Expand
  2. Young_Nacho
    Nov 13, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was certainly a very unique experience. It was a harrowing tale about the reality of life and nature; it can be sudden and unforgiving. In this instance you are a momma badger. You need to look after your cubs and keep them safe from all the dangers of nature. You need to hunt and collect food for them, and keep them safe from predators. Gameplay wise, it was actually pretty fun and entertaining (especially when you name all of your cubs XD) I really enjoyed hunting the foxes and it was very amusing and satisfying when you would catch one. It really required you to pay attention to your surroundings and always be on the lookout. You could look away for one second and then just like that you hear a noise and a cub is missing. It had a very unique art style and the music was good too. It did have its problems though, in that there was little to do at times and some of the actions were just repetition after a while. Also some of the times when you couldn't sprint seemed painfully slow. It also seemed a little short. However I really liked that it showed you the harsh reality of what life is and for that, it gets a 7.5/10… Expand
  3. Kernie
    Dec 29, 2013
    10
    Shelter is a great game its the best badger simulator youll ever play. it is a bit short but thats okay because its amazing i loved playing it. its more about the art and emotional experience than gameplay and story
  4. Hunnoycombe
    Jan 21, 2014
    9
    While Shelter may certainly be short and linear (and drastically overpriced), it makes up for it fully by including adorable badger babys and and a heard rending ending..
    Thumbs up high!
  5. Rattlefinger
    Aug 28, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I must say I am yet to finish the game, I am on the third "level" (the one with the raging river), but got stuck and that presents an opportunity to molt from badger back into human form and try to write a few thoughts down.
    I must say, the game introduced itself a bit harsh to me, because in the first few minutes I had no freaking idea what to do. I could quickly determine the controls move the camera with the mouse, standard WASD movement, "crouching" with Control, left-click calls for your kids, or grab the item in front of you but I was confined to a few meters of an underground den with five of my offspring. One of them did not move at all, was quite different color than the others, and could not do anything with him. I don't want to completely spoil the beginning, so I just say that this was not a bug, it's a feature, a steep uphill start of the learning curve. Because in the end I learned that the hungrier the little badgers are the more grayish they become. So, comparing the colors give you an advice which one to give the food to. Anyway, when the family is whole the game starts, indicated by the appearance of the creators' names, and you can leave the den. The following few minutes are pretty straightforward, with help from on-screen advices of your badger's abilities. You learn how to gather food, eventually you can try yourself at hunting (f***ing frogs...), and become a professional badger mom.
    If you anticipate an open-world, sandbox survival game, you'll be disappointed, just as well if you'd like to see your badger get involved in jump-kick duels with other forest animals. Most of the time you will scour the area for food, mostly apples, carrots and some other thingies you pull out of the ground. Sometimes you get to hunt other animals, but be careful, you get one shot each time, so you better succeed. In fact I quite understand the frogs that once they reach the safety of water after being chased around they would not stick their noses out again, but still, f**k them. Luckily, in my experience, it is not a matter of utmost importance to be a good hunter; a vegetarian diet still provides enough nutrition for the kids to not die of hunger, and vegetables does not flee or hide.
    But the time will come when _you_ better do that. A giant bird of prey patrols the sky at the end of the first level, and it is a deadly threat to the kids. But you must cross that field, you just have to. Do what your instinct tells you (or me), stay in high grass, and only move when the bird is moving away from your position (its shadow is a great help). Don't try to outrun it on long distances. When you reach the knocked over trunk at the other side of the field, you're safe. At least until the next level starts.
    It is nighttime, and I must say the game becomes more a survival horror than the Resident Evil series recently. It's dark, with only one or two meters around you lit up, and strange noises can be heard. And sometimes _something_ gets close. A branch cracks just a few meters away, and your offspring start to flee, getting out of your "aura" quickly. You cannot call them back, so you must follow them if you want to see all of them again. That is where I lost the first little badger. I'm not saying I started to cry, but frankly, what I felt was far from happiness.
    And that is where the game is the strongest. You may or may not like the style of the graphics, but somehow you get attached (at least I did) to those five little badgers whose survival depends entirely on you. They may spot the food, gather and hop excitedly around it, but they can't get it, they need your help. They would be easy prey for that bird, but with caution you can lead them to safety.
    Other than that the only thing remaining to "review" is the music, but I think that is even more subjective than the graphics. Personally, I like it. I am sure they spent a great deal of time with it, too.
    At last, let me tell you why I gave it an 8, instead of 10, which otherwise the game would deserve, in my opinion. First, I think it has no real replay value. There are no difficulty levels, and the levels are pre-made. I may start it over again some time after I finish it, but I think there will be no surprises left by that time. However, that still would only decrease the score to around 9.8, but, as I mentioned in the sentence, I managed to be stuck on the third level. Not adventure-like stuck, not knowing what to do or where to go, but bug-like stuck in the river after an (unsuccessful) frog-chase (really, f**k those guys). My badger just stood in the water, and did not react to the controls. The only option was to exit, and restart the level. Yep, no checkpoints, except at the start of the levels, but that alone wouldn't be a real issue. However, bugs exist, and this game looks bug-free otherwise.
    Final words: I don't know how long the game is, but, I must say, I did spend far more than 9 euros on far worse games, so I am not complaining.    … Expand
  6. ShamrockVA
    Aug 31, 2013
    10
    If you haven't PS3 for playing Journey, Flow, Flower but love games like these buy it. 1-2 hours of freestyle gameplay awaits you! Also, if you like design in games, you should see it.
  7. JPLazyNinja
    Oct 9, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Shelter is a fresh concept, one worth exploring, that offers the idea of trying to keep an animal family alive in a world that really does seem to want to kill them. Nature is a harsh thing and Shelter does have moments where it feels like a triumph of skill and audacity to simply keep your pups alive when it they seem predestined to die. The art style is beautiful, but that's a given if you've seen even a screenshot of this game and the atmosphere can be intense when it calls for it.

    That being said, this game does a lot in a short time only to then stops abruptly; I can understand the artistic reasoning for it, it just seems like the game never came to some kind of conclusion. There was surviving through one bad situation after another only to get unlucky; nature is harsh and it does seem appropriate that something out of nowhere proves to be your doom but the fact it is unavoidable takes control out of your hands to simply end the game.

    The linear nature does detract somewhat from the tension as everything is scripted to happen and can be exploited in future play-throughs (until the unavoidable death); a more open-ended game might have done wonders for making the game a battle for the family's survival for as long as possible only for the player to finally be caught off guard or overwhelmed. Shelter is not a bad game, by any stretch, its just one that was so good it was a shame they didn't go further. Here's hoping they continue to innovate and can make a good game even better.    … Expand
  8. Zadenados
    Sep 2, 2013
    3
    entirely too short. not worth the money for less than an hour of playtime. if it was extended or had more free roam options this would be at the top of my list though. here's to hoping for more content.
  9. Jakim
    Aug 29, 2013
    9
    I cried at the ending.
    I think this sentence and the score I gave is enough, but there is a minimum of 150 characters, so the game is an emotional adventure, which makes you almost cry if you loose a badger, and will definitely make you cry at the end, if you care about animals
  10. Dementy88
    Sep 20, 2013
    9
    Very emotional game. For the hour of play I managed to experience a kaleidoscope of emotions. I have not experienced in a gaming sense of responsibility to this moment. Yes, the game is very short, it is negative. But during this hour, I experienced what many games can not present in eight hours.
  11. parshakov
    Dec 25, 2013
    10
    I want more games like this! Maybe with a family of city rats this time? And based on CryEngine or Frostbite 3?

    The gameplay was quite intuitive, although sometimes I had to learn on my mistakes just like I would if I was a real badger!

    I think the game wasn't too long or too short.
  12. AColdOnion
    Aug 28, 2013
    1
    This game is Sooooo short its awful, $10 for a game that is 50 minutes to 2 hours long? and it's only 2 hours if you go really really slow, and i mean really slow...
    It is NOT and open world game like alot of us were led on to believe and it is a very linear game that will have you screaming for something more about 30 minutes in. I had great expectations for this game because it looked    This game is Sooooo short its awful, $10 for a game that is 50 minutes to 2 hours long? and it's only 2 hours if you go really really slow, and i mean really slow...
    It is NOT and open world game like alot of us were led on to believe and it is a very linear game that will have you screaming for something more about 30 minutes in. I had great expectations for this game because it looked amazing and people on green light were raving about it. But i was left with a very sad and dull experience. If developers all stark taking a page out of Shelters book then the video game industry would be in for a world of hurt.
    IMHO this game is in NO WAY worth $10, maybe 4.99 mmmmmaybe!!!! but 10?? ohhhh nonono    … Expand
  13. Rabid_Shark
    Mar 26, 2014
    3
    this game has potential but in the end its a vary Basic vary Short and a vary Blinding game. all you do is keep the babies safe from only an eagle keep them feed from starvation. did i mention how blinding the game is they could easily adjust the gamma or brightness/contrast settings in a simple patch fix but no.
  14. CaKeS
    Dec 29, 2013
    8
    A really cool game, whoever says it's bad because it's short has no perception of what makes a game good. The game is the CORRECT length, if it were longer it would be dragging out, if it were shorter it wouldn't feel like a journey. The graphics are interesting and I must say very well done, as well as pleasing to look at. The gameplay basically consists of you leading your babies toA really cool game, whoever says it's bad because it's short has no perception of what makes a game good. The game is the CORRECT length, if it were longer it would be dragging out, if it were shorter it wouldn't feel like a journey. The graphics are interesting and I must say very well done, as well as pleasing to look at. The gameplay basically consists of you leading your babies to safety, overcoming obstacles and catching/gathering food for them. The hunting mechanics could've been better, I could never catch a fox (I'm lead to believe the game's not even meant for you to be able to catch one). Despite the game being pretty short, I got on odd attachment to my kids, and felt pretty bad if I happened to loose one. It's a cool concept but could've been executed a tad better, but nonetheless this game stands pretty solid. I'm not convinced it's worth $9.99 simply because of the play time you get out of it, since it's short and you can't really play through it again because it'd be the same thing (very linear). If it's on sale, I recommend it, I got it for like $2.49 so I definitely got a good deal!… Expand
  15. ChoicestGames
    Sep 21, 2014
    8
    Shelter is admittedly a terribly short game with gameplay not too dissimilar from games like Lemmings and From Dust, with respect to ensuring the safety of your followers. However, the emotional journey the game takes you on, with you starring as a mother badger, is ultimately a unique and memorable experience. The game is a tribute to all mothers out there that would do anything toShelter is admittedly a terribly short game with gameplay not too dissimilar from games like Lemmings and From Dust, with respect to ensuring the safety of your followers. However, the emotional journey the game takes you on, with you starring as a mother badger, is ultimately a unique and memorable experience. The game is a tribute to all mothers out there that would do anything to protect their young.… Expand
  16. ericcoutinho
    Mar 8, 2014
    8
    It started to me like: "What the hell is this game?!"
    I found it boring, meaningless, lacking so many things...
    But then, firstly the awesome soundtrack - kind of a sad and beautiful blues - started to put me on a certain mood. After that, the graphic art seems to found out his place, in addition to a growing concern about the "children" and some cruel things you must to do in order to    It started to me like: "What the hell is this game?!"
    I found it boring, meaningless, lacking so many things...

    But then, firstly the awesome soundtrack - kind of a sad and beautiful blues - started to put me on a certain mood. After that, the graphic art seems to found out his place, in addition to a growing concern about the "children" and some cruel things you must to do in order to keep them fed. And that's it... i can't say anymore without spoil.

    Shelter is a beautiful ode to nature and motherhood.
    You can give it to your own children if you have some, and show them some simple and important lessons about nature. It's a short (like 2 hours), different game, which will certainly add one more experience for those who are seeking for new things.    … Expand
  17. Outlander999
    Nov 16, 2013
    7
    Shelter is a unique game, sadly is too short to completely satisfy. I give it a "7", but here in Metacritic the real rating should be 6.7 out of 10. VIRTUALINN.IT
  18. SomeNorCalGuy
    Jan 2, 2014
    7
    Shelter has everything you could want from a simple atmospheric indie game. It’s the perfect length and it’s got the right cast of characters in a momma badger and her 5 badger pups in need of -you guessed it- shelter. But the bad camera, the odd physics, the simple, repetitive, and slightly broken design and the confusing map breaks the immersion and detracts from the overall experience.Shelter has everything you could want from a simple atmospheric indie game. It’s the perfect length and it’s got the right cast of characters in a momma badger and her 5 badger pups in need of -you guessed it- shelter. But the bad camera, the odd physics, the simple, repetitive, and slightly broken design and the confusing map breaks the immersion and detracts from the overall experience.

    There's something to be said for games that stretch the definition of what a game is and can be. There's something to be said for games that take a risk of providing the player with a simple atmospheric interactive experience that’s only about as long as the average movie.

    Shelter is one of those art-house games that takes a risk and almost but not quite delivers on it.

    The premise behind Shelter is simple: You are a badger. You have 5 badger babies (cubs? pups?) and your job is to move them from the safety of the den you’re in and then safely get them somewhere else that’s safe.

    The key word there of course is “safe”. And the world you are in is anything but. The little badgers need food regularly and while there’s plenty of apple trees, root vegetables and little huntable critters along the way, it’s not always clear which little badger has a full tummy and which one going to turn gray and die of starvation. And should you figure out a system where everyone gets their fair share of meat and vegetables, the other thing on the menu of course is badger pup and there plenty of hungry hawks and foxes who would love a few baby badger hors d’oeuvres on the hoof.

    But the problem with Shelter is that isn’t very well made. The movement and controls are all quite rough. The path you’re supposed to take is anything but clear and it’s quite easy to get lost and turned around which I guess is sort of the point. It still doesn’t make for a very rewarding experience when you’ve got 5 badger brats whining to be fed, a hawk circling overhead and you’re not even sure they’re all even following you. Again, might be the point, still not rewarding.

    And then the interactive experience breaks immersion when you get reminded that you not, in fact, a safety conscious momma badger by the overused simplistic textures and the polygonal flora you keep seeing the wrong side of.

    Had Shelter been tightened up, even a little, it could have been a solid 8.5. But the slightly broken nature of the game detracts too much from the experience, making it a 7 at best. Worth buying and playing at the right price, but be prepared to be slightly frustrated at the clunky design.    … Expand
  19. dyspeptic
    Sep 14, 2015
    7
    This game is definitely original, it is also beautiful (although the trees have an annoying tendency to obstruct the camera). As others have noted, it is also short and replayability is low. However, the "story" remains with you after your playthrough (even though I didn't find it "emotional"), so it is still worth trying if you can get it on sale--I tried it for $3 through GOG.com andThis game is definitely original, it is also beautiful (although the trees have an annoying tendency to obstruct the camera). As others have noted, it is also short and replayability is low. However, the "story" remains with you after your playthrough (even though I didn't find it "emotional"), so it is still worth trying if you can get it on sale--I tried it for $3 through GOG.com and found it worthwhile at this price point.

    BUG NOTE: the "night level" has a bug where you pick up a food item only to be unable to drop it or interact with anything else (thus making feeding the litter impossible). The only way to get by this bug is to close the level and reload it from the main menu, losing whatever progress you made in the level.    … Expand
  20. bumbasaur
    Feb 6, 2014
    4
    It starts quite nice but ends fast. Linear tunnel art game about badger and nature. It could be nice but it gets quite boring as i don't really find the art so breathtakingly nice and the background tune is quite meh.
    Someone who likes badgers a lot would like it, but for an art game there are better alternatives.
  21. ExpVortex
    Jul 21, 2014
    10
    Amazing game, the experience was unlike anything else. Yes, it has a short story but its one of a kind. You find yourself attached to the cubs as you journey your way through harsh conditions. I loved it.
  22. janosbiro
    Oct 27, 2015
    9
    Shelter is a game about the hardships of motherhood, and so the game truly speaks a universal language. You are a mother badger taking care of your cubs, feeding them and defending them from predators. It makes you care so much about your little cubs that you can even think they have very distinguished personalities. Some players have given names to them, and reported interesting emotionalShelter is a game about the hardships of motherhood, and so the game truly speaks a universal language. You are a mother badger taking care of your cubs, feeding them and defending them from predators. It makes you care so much about your little cubs that you can even think they have very distinguished personalities. Some players have given names to them, and reported interesting emotional responses when one of them died. This game can communicate with a primitive instinct in all of us: the love for the little, the innocent and the frail.

    Throughout the game you learn to fear and hate eagles as they were monstrously evil. But in the end, you identify with them. They are in the exactly same position you were: trying to feed their loved ones. The threatening predator becomes a loving mother. And so the games shows how every mother is also a fearsome predator, ready to kill for the most pure and sacred love of all. This alone made me cry.    … Expand
  23. Mobile
    Jul 20, 2018
    2
    ENG RU
    Five years later came the same to this masterpiece, which all chipili at the time, set an example to all subsequent clones of these games, and the reviews are all full of that the game is a little masterpiece. But from the very beginning, when we under the opening credits give control and need to get out of the cave, creeps the impression that it is already getting bored, although    ENG RU
    Five years later came the same to this masterpiece, which all chipili at the time, set an example to all subsequent clones of these games, and the reviews are all full of that the game is a little masterpiece. But from the very beginning, when we under the opening credits give control and need to get out of the cave, creeps the impression that it is already getting bored, although it took only a minute, but there are fears.Here we are in the role of mother badger with five kids go (do not understand where, do not understand why go so far), the goal is to survive, feed the Pets, avoid all possible dangers, BUT what's the point, the game barely lasts up to one hour with a dull, monotonous gameplay, feeding does not affect anything, and - that is not certain, because the camera is uncomfortable, badgers spinning, because of this and died, because they began to fidget is not the place, strange optimized game, the picture almost every minute, jerks is, the ending is one, but it fully describes the whole game entirely, the developers did not get to do absolutely nothing of quality and interesting, zero replayability, fun or involvement of the player, empathy is also absent, go cool is not convenient camera, pull out another ear of carrots and fly on all four sides Oh?
    Спустя пять лет добрался таки до этого шедевра, который все хайпили в свое время, ставили в пример всем последующим клонам подобных игр, да и отзывы все пестрят, что игра маленький шедевр. Но уже с самого начала, когда нам под вступительные титры дают управление и нужно выбраться из пещеры, закрадывается впечатление, что уже становится скучно, хотя прошла всего минута, но опасения есть.Вот мы в роле матери барсучихи с пятерыми детишками идем (не пойми куда, не пойми зачем идти в такую даль),цель в том что бы выжить, кормить питомцев, избегать все возможных опасностей, НО каком в этом смысл, игра еле дотягивает до одного часа с унылым, однообразным геймплеем, кормежка не влияет ни на что, да и возможности дать кому - то определенному нет, так как камера неудобная, барсуки крутятся, из за этого и погибали, потому, что сами начинали ерзать не месте, странно оптимизирована игра, картинка чуть ли не каждую минуту, рывками идет, концовка одна, но она полностью описывает всю игру целиком, у разработчиков не получилось сделать ровным счетом ничего качественного и интересного, реиграбельности ноль, веселья или вовлечения игрока, сопереживания тоже отсутствует, ходи крути не удобной камерой, выдергивай очередной початок моркови и лети на все четыре стороны.    … Expand
  24. arcticGTS
    Apr 9, 2019
    8
    Shelter - A tiny emotional adventure of badger mom and her little badgers. This work of art, shows the player a cruel animal world, how difficult it is to survive with small and practically defenseless animals ... The visual part is very interesting and beautiful, the music is top notch! This game made me cry ... I highly recommend it.
  25. edxtan
    Jun 24, 2023
    4
    Shelter's aesthetic touches create genuine empathy and concern for its characters, but it's hampered by the lack of clarity in its level design.
  26. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 10, 2023
    7
    A simple, short hide-and-seek chaperone experience! It's pretty straightforward but worth your brief chunk of time

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 29
  3. Negative: 2 out of 29
  1. IGN Italia
    Jan 5, 2014
    90
    A simple but incredibly powerful experience, that uses interaction to convey well known themes in a different, emotional and bizarrely frightening way.
    Read full review
  2. Level7.nu
    Dec 12, 2013
    70
    Shelter is a game about being a badger and strange as that may sound it is first and foremost a pleasant and beautiful little adventure. It doesn't really strive to anything majestic but it's still a great game for those who want something different.
    Read full review
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Oct 28, 2013
    90
    If you found Proteus poignant and Gone Home felt like going home, Shelter will break your heart. [Nov 2013, p.88]
See all critic reviews »