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. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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

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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.
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  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 »