The minuscule length of Giraffe and Annika can be attributed to its lack of substantial levels, of which there are really only three. It’s hard to backtrack when you’re not sure where you’re going back to. This progression system makes gameplay feel more complex and rewarding, however, you can imagine playing Metroid without a map can be – for lack of a better word – dizzying. Having the ability to jump, breathe longer underwater, and run faster makes the game feel more like an open-world Metroidvania than some basic Super Mario clone. With every completed dungeon, Annika unlocks a new ability, which opens up new areas of the island. Couple this with a lack of an island map, and it can sometimes feel like without a photographic memory, you’ll never get anywhere in this game. Unfortunately, the music can be a bit much at times, with a repetitive loop of tunes that once seemed jaunty, but are now burned into your mind, messing with your own sanity. Thankfully, these fetch quests never feel monotonous, and the majority of them won’t have you meandering about looking for where to go next. Most puzzles come in the form of fetch quests, dealing with completing objectives according to things like time of day and proper item placement. Puzzles are at the core of Giraffe and Annika, in that when you’re not jumping from platform to platform on a dangerously precarious 3D plane, you’re probably searching around for collectibles and clues to progress the narrative. This game never feels too easy on the contrary, its difficulty curve is as gradual as it is naturally frustrating. Not only this, but the puzzles feel just as satisfying, leaving you with “a-ha” moments that seem deserved, not just handed to you.
Giraffe and Annika play with your feelings in such a way that you feel deeply invested in the goings-on as they happen. The story itself has quite a few jaw-dropping revelations that truly left me feeling emotional. But what makes these characters even more fascinating is the unexpected plot twist near the game’s conclusion, and the effects it has on these lovable folks. I felt for them, and I genuinely wanted to help them out. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the characters in this game. The aforementioned island locals have their own unique personalities, and not one of them feels unlikable or disappointing. On the other hand, Giraffe and Annika’s plot contains an abundance of details that enrich the experience. But alas, this feels like it has no impact on the game in its entirety. For example, one of the biggest puzzles in the game is to gather specific clothes and the ability to dance, which will awaken the goddess of the island’s spirit. Sure, her actions have meaning at the moment. Annika is tasked with gathering these fragments, trekking across the mysterious island, and making friends with the locals… but it’s never really explained why. Perhaps Giraffe and Annika’s greatest shortcoming is its inability to establish any real conflict. Waking in a familiar-yet-foreign land, Annika soon meets a boy who calls himself Giraffe and insists our protagonist is the only one who can gather the three star fragments from the island’s three distinct dungeons. Taking place on the fictional island of Spica, the story follows a girl-turned-feline, or Felycan, called Annika. Giraffe and Annika continuously held my attention through its 5-hour runtime, and I enjoyed almost every minute of it. While it may seem at times like “baby’s first Metroidvania,” it does so in a way that never feels overly tedious and exhausting. Ultimately, I was left with a smile on my face thanks to Giraffe and Annika, even amidst the frustrating platforming in the game’s latter half. After encountering my first rhythm-based boss fight – which completely shakes up the gameplay in a refreshingly welcome manner – I continued to be lured in by the mystery unfolding before my eyes. After initially being turned off by the simplistic approach to storytelling and open world exploration, I quickly found it impossible to put the controller down.
#Giraffe and annika fighting full#
Beneath the surface of this colorful puzzle-platformer set in a world full of animal-human hybrids, there’s an emotional story that offers a surprising amount of fun, entertaining content in a bite-sized package. Thank you to NIS America for this advanced copy.ĭon’t be fooled by Giraffe and Annika’s semi-misleading title.
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