Spooky Monkey

I roughly recall not enjoying the original "Mist Monkey", maybe it was too confusing for me, but this one seems more intuitive -- relatively speaking that is. I was still lost for the first 30 minutes, but once you understand the general loop of the game, it's not very complicated and actually has some enjoyable puzzles. On that note, I still feel like this game has a "game polish" barrier, it should be a chill playthrough, but there are many little issues that are not game breaking, but can make the experience harder than it should be, for example the awkward mapping of the keyboard controls. Something tells me the developer is not exactly playtesting these before release. The dev keeps comparing these games to Zelda, which may sound a little weird, but I think he specifically referring to the original one, the whole secret/mystery appeal of the series, not so much combat or anything like that. If anything the dreamy feel of the world reminds me more of games like Yume Nikki, as well as the power-up based progression which I guess makes it a metroidvania of sorts, but there are only a few abilities. The world kinda has that ethereal quality to it, while also having somewhat of a therapeutic narrative, teaching you about inner peace and how to face and accept the life that was given to you. Actually I rather enjoyed the writing, it's a very optimistic look on things, not something many games go for these days, so it's a nice change of pace if you want something encouraging. It's not a large game, but it can still take about 4 hours just because some of the puzzles can be a little too creative. The game expects you think outside the box a little, so even though I generally like the creativity of those puzzles, sometimes they can have unexpected, and perhaps frustrating solutions. Honestly it might make a bad first impression, I had that experience with all of his games, but it you push through it, eventually you might find something to love about it. Basically the gameplay comes down to talking to monkey statues, and bringing them an item based on the poem or riddle that they tell you. Sometimes that may require an additional step like combining 2 items, so keep that in mind. Some of the environments were interesting to look at and explore, although I think you have a bad habit of making them too fuzzy with the effects. [h1] Pros: [/h1] (+) I found the story very encouraging, finding the positives in whatever life was given to you, appreciating the gifts that you have, and also believing in your own power. I think by the end it can leave you in a very good mood, although the ending animation was a bit, basic. (+) So the puzzles can be a little obtuse sometimes, but most of them were also very creative and won't hold your hand, you will have to read and think about what the game is saying. So kinda difficult a little, but also rewarding to complete. (+) Nice dreamy vibes and some neat themes for locations [h1] Feedback: [/h1] [b] Outdated [/b] - the dev addressed most of the criticism [u] Some random things: [/u] - is there no true borderless fullscreen? We need it, it's not immersive to play the game with the visible edges - I think you should be adding achievements for collection based content, maybe you one of those devs that does not care for them, but most players on steam like those, especially since you have some collection in the game - there is some bug with tokens, I got 4 from feathers/roasting in random parts of the map? - It says 10 tokens for sanctuary, but requires more? - did it say 'carrotforce' when you pull out lifeforce from the carrot? [u] Control Mapping/Gameplay: [/u] - starting the player with only 2 hit-points was a little annoying, it's very easy to touch 2 enemies by accident, so I would start the player at 3 perhaps. You can get more, it's just bad for starting the game, as it may make the game awkward to learn for new players - maybe increase the range of the melee attack just a little, I kept getting hit by enemies just because it's so short - you mapped the keys like RPG-Maker game with arrows and X, but you also forced me to use ENTER. Maybe have interact on both enter and something closer to X as an option. [u] Other: [/u] - it felt like the sound effects in the game were too silent, dashing for example, or most of them really - your cutscenes feel too stiff, it's like a frame every 5 seconds, I don't expect like masterful art, but with pixel art you should be able to do something more smooth, just for presentation, the ending and the intro felt very stiff, even by pixel art standards. Maybe faster frames, longer animation. [b] Overall Thoughts: 7/10 [/b] In theory you making really nice exploration games, but I do feel like you finding a way to make them less enjoyable somehow, it feels like you maybe not taking enough feedback from players, just very small but impactful problems. It feels like the game has a bit of an entry barrier for the first 30 minutes, but overall, I liked the optimistic narrative, and some of the puzzles were very clever. Super niche, but still somewhat interesting and unusual experience I would say. [code]Niche, obscure and underrated games: http://store.steampowered.com/curator/31294838-Hidden-Gem-Discovery/ [/code]

Spooky Monkey is a lighthearted game with an undead theme that never really tries to be scary, and that works in its favor. It’s funny and odd in quiet ways, mixing humor about death with a surprisingly peaceful, meditative atmosphere. The vibe is mystical more than spooky, and it’s easy to just exist in the world and wander around for a while. The design is cleverly thoughtout. The powers are fun to use, the puzzles are satisfying without being too frustrating, and the open structure encourages exploration. There are a lot of secrets to discover, hidden paths, and the game clearly rewards curiosity. The riddles themselves are clever and genuinely funny, and the chickens deserve a special mention for being an amusing throwback to games like Zelda. I also appreciated the multiple endings, which made the world feel responsive without forcing replayability. As a follow-up to the previous games, this feels confident and refined, and it’s nice to see a small, underrated series continue to do its own thing. If you’re looking for something relaxed, clever, and quietly creative, Spooky Monkey is easy to recommend.

История о маленькой обезьянке, которую призвали из загробного мира, чтобы она завершила свои незаконченные дела с загадочной и зловещей сущностью. Игра спокойная, созерцательная, с акцентом на исследование, тонкое повествование и разгадывание поэтичных загадок. Меньше сражений, больше умиротворённых размышлений с элементами сверхъестественного.

I'm only an hour in right now, but the game is fun. It's a cute MetroidVania style puzzle game with some light combat. It's a fresh take on a MetroidVania for me, one that I'm enjoying so far. I'll update this review if my opinions change as I get further in the game.

What a delightful and charming game. Thoughtful and meditative, and a little tiny bit spooky. The art and character design is beautiful, the music is peaceful. It is a small map, but there is lots to explore, full of little puzzles and secrets. I can see the Zelda 1 influence, but the puzzles here thankfully lack the obtuse guesswork of that game. I got stumped a couple of times, but the small hints are helpful, the logic of the game world makes sense, and experimentation is easy to try. Combat is simple, not challenging, with barely a fail state if you run out of health, being reset back to the beginning is not much of a set back in a map this size. And there are no boss fights. New abilities keep exploration fresh and combat fun. The whole game feels personal and polished, mindful and dreamlike. A bite sized beauty, and a big recommend. There are two endings from what I can tell, each a very short cutscene that saves just before it is triggered so you can experience both. Alt and Enter to fullscreen worked for me. The control layout on keyboard seems a bit odd, no remapping from what I could see, but I quickly adjusted.