Warm Monkey

Was just playing this and watched as a cadre of my primate proletariat refused to join me and others in the large body of cool water we were idling in, instead choosing to repeatedly climb a tree and botch a jump to a small pool of water atop a hut, resulting in their injury and death by dehydration. "Why make things harder that way? This game would be easier if the monkeys were smarter." I paused. [i] This game would be easier if the monkeys were smarter. [/i] Suddenly, the poor pathfinding skills of [i]Warm Monkey[/i]'s AI became less the rough work of a small indie team and instead something more profound. In the year 2025, wherever you are, things Aren't Particularly Okay. Unless you're an oligarch, in which case ♥♥♥♥ off. [i] This game would be easier if the monkeys were smarter. [/i] Isn't that the truest way to express frustration with the state of the world today? Suddenly [i]Warm Monkey[/i]'s technical shortcomings started to seem like indirect footnotes on the human experience. Or, rather, the primate experience. Which begs the question of whether or not those are [i]actually the same goddarn thing.[/i] Hm. I bought this on release after seeing it a few weeks beforehand, dreams of rekindling an odd semblance of [i]Tokyo Jungle[/i] (this not really like that whatsoever). I almost left a negative review closer to that purchase, as I do think the pricetag, much as one tries to remove art from commerce, is more than a crumb too costly. Nevertheless, in very recent days amidst something of a spat of indecision and aimlessness in my gaming I sought [i]Warm Monkey[/i] out to try and reach its ethereal end state (presumably a monkey less warm), which I'm gradually working towards. If in a moment of spendthrift sentiment you feel like digging into your grocery budget or refraining from paying for parking for a few days I'd say this is a fun, sweltering time. I at least hope for $14.99 my contribution allows for the devs to live somewhat comfortably.

The game offers a refreshingly gentle challenge that grows on you. You guide a monkey through a concrete jungle, gathering companions every ten seconds, all heading toward the sea. Along the way you manage dehydration, avoid dangerous falls, dodge traffic, and scavenge water from puddles or pools. The group’s AI has just enough unpredictability to make you feel responsible without ever overwhelming you. What really stands out are the visuals, the stylised pixel-art environments from rooftops to tangled streets feel unique, expressive, and quietly beautiful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5823C7rZDTE

Would you believe me if i say projects like this give me hope for the future of the game dev industry & human culture in general? Seriously, if such small wonders are still possible in this ocean of clones of clones of deckbuilder autobattler survivors, nothing was in vain. Let the fools play their overpriced goo, the human spirit prevails in the midst of stupidity inferno. It reminds me of the original "Sid Meyer's Pirates!" with its minimalist approach & the depth of immersion achieved. It is a genius game, while the looks are deceptive. The point being just to cross the busy city, running from one water hole to another while leading a small crowd of disposable animals. All you can do is jump, climb up & down, walk - good luck!

monkey: warm audio: warm visuals: warm warm: monkey

I never thought I would announce two games like Tokyo Jungle and Post Void together in comparison to a new title to hit the indie scene, but by God the monkeys have found a way. On a scorching hot day, kilometers away from the sea, a lone monkey looks to make it to aquatic sustenance. As their adventure progresses, more monkeys look to follow the trail of puddles, oases, and fountains to pass by the death-dealing heat, motorized vehicles, and the inevitability of gravity. Warm Monkey takes an arcade-like, two buttons and a joystick, approach to traversing the map. One button jumps and one button grabs, using these to vault over brush, walls, and shrubbery and grabbing onto trees to reach rooftops and to scale from tree to tree. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and your monkey will get thirsty very quickly; an ever-depleting bar indicates your thirst and finding any water will help satiate your hydration. Smaller puddles will handle smaller needs, but bigger pools will allow a pause on the ever-ticking timer. Unless you’re handling a lot of monkeys: every ten seconds of movement, a new monkey spawns. This increasing group of monkeys follow you, all just as thirsty as you are. These additional monkeys are your extra lives, if the heat or traffic put you down, any of the additional monkeys will make haste to meet you at your last resting place and will allow you to take control with a small invincibility window. The AI of the monkeys is touted by the developers as, “unpredictable,” but I would lean more into, “hilariously stupid,” as you’ll see your acquaintances bypass open water and perish, or walk directly into traffic and perish, or vault from trees and buildings, aim for the bushes, and perish. The map is vast and wide, peppered with landmarks that breathe life into the pixelated scenery. Sprawling dragon trees, populated lakes, city buildings with multiple fountains: each landmark is worth detouring for the massive point boost to your run’s score but they’re all very interesting to look at and immerse yourself within the sweltering city. But the bread and butter of Warm Monkey is the sound design, my goodness. Soft drums and ambient instrumentals fill the white noise between gaps of aquatic nourishment as splashing around twists the audio like you’re trying to find your favorite AM radio station. It provides this eclectic shot of serotonin knowing your monkey is cooking and can take a spare moment to just indulge in the cool water. But traversing out into the chaotic rampages of the several roads between you and the sea are hellish. Being a monkey trying to dodge several dozen cars is blisteringly tense and purposely peaking decibels slammed into your eardrums. Hearing the repeated crunch of your fellow monkeys who were unsuccessful in their journey while multiple engines stack their audio to a crackling fever pitch and combined with a high ringing like you just received tinnitus from your journey: this is but one of several roads, and all of them are emotionally draining but impeccably designed. That said, while runs are short and frantic, there’s plenty of room for improvement. Keeping up with current topics: the roads. While they’re debilitating, nerve-wracking, and beautifully chaotic: they’re not really fun to traverse. The beginning roads are by the numbers and give a nice tutorial-like understanding to try and prep yourself to cross a death zone by any means necessary, but the later roads just feel unfair by default. What I imagine is the final stretch of road before the sea, an 8 to 10 lane highway, is so intrusively luck-based that there’s a reason only a smattering (1.7% of the game’s player count on Steam, as of this writing I am not one of them.) of monkeys have actually completed their objective. It’s tough, but not in a longing-survival sense, but more in the fact you’re given 10 coins to flip and you better be right on all of them. The isometric camera used can make traversing high buildings and trees a hassle. When in the air, you are guaranteed to miss your landing zone at least a few times, which is doubly obnoxious as your crater distance is very, very short. Damage is taken off your thirst meter, so a wrong jump will not only cripple your health, but will probably kill your AI friends who will definitely jump off a building if you do. Lastly, the tutorial is presented each run like it looks unskippable, but hitting Start will skip it, but I found that out by complete accident trying not to do the tutorial for the 14th time. I’m going to keep trying to get the monkey to the sea, and despite all its flaws it’s still an adrenaline-kicking few minutes avoiding cars, praying for rain, and beating the clock hoping this monkey can be the coolest of them all. [quote][h1]Follow [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33247611/]A Review Is Worth 1,000 Words[/url] for more Steam Reviews.[/h1][/quote]

great addition to any ape gamer's collection

Aight. What a game. This game is honestly incredible. I was a little worried about the low amount of reviews and kind of steep $15 price tag, but holy god this game delivers. Super creative arcade-style highscore concept, and an absolute blast if you can manage to convince 3 of your friends that they need to play Warm Monkey. Super fun co-op collaboration and strategy aspects too. It's got dunks, its slurps, it's got the Guggenheim... This game makes friends worth it. Monkey friends. Monkey game of the year. Also the graphics and sound are ultra crusty and crunchy. Honestly absolutely phenomenal visual and sound design. Expedition 33 who? "This might be a top 10 hydration game" - notEisiger "This game is surprisingly deep." - Spooky "Keep your friends close and your warm monkeys closer." - Shadowcat2525

9th warmest monkey in the world, first run, 3-14-25: jds ! Surprisingly workable arcade loop, fun to just zoop around and do Tho others have complained about depth-perception issues between z-level 2D objects (esp trees vs. buildings, as one jumps between these routinely), and these are felt deeply; multiple monkey doth die to misjudged jumpitude and doth fall. Make lower z-level roofs compliant with higher z-level treetop leaps. This prob sounds like nonsense, but dev, and players, know of what I doth speak. Ultimately, opposable thumbs up! p.s. After 30 monkeys or so my framerate started to chuggg