So I got a chance to play The Beasts of Maravilla Island, and it’s not what I was expecting with a soft warm-hearted story about caring for the environment and finding magic everywhere you go. The Beasts of Maravilla Island had that Pokemon Snap vibe to it since its gameplay focuses on taking photos of the wildlife that your grandfather told you about before he passed away.
The whole premise for the story of Beasts of Maravilla Island is the stories he passed on to his grandchild of the Island and all the magical creatures that live there, reminding her to look for that magic that he spent his life protecting, and caring about. The story between the two characters after one has long since passed away and her searching for the Island to capture the magic of the creatures from his stories to share with the world.
Suffice it to say I love Beasts of Maravilla Island from the story, and the creatures to just the overall design of the areas you travel through, for me it gives off that feeling of nostalgia from when Pokemon Snap came out on the Nintendo 64.
The core element of the gameplay of this game is your photography as I mentioned with its similarities to Pokemon Snap you’re tasked with going around each stage and taking photos of all the animals, bugs, and plants you discover on the island. It’s these photos you aim to share and show the world the magic of the island.
Regarding the various stages in Beasts of Maravilla Island, they’re not set on a linear track with a time limit for the stage. Instead, it is primarily a free to roam where you can interact with the magical creatures you encounter by whistling to get their attention and you can even take selfies with them!
The worst part about this game is small but critical in my review. I have to say that some of the animations are very unpolished. Like when you’re climbing trees to take photos as you progress through the stages the animation in those moments is subpar. But that’s it, that’s the only negative thing I have to say about the title!
Beasts of Maravilla Island is a very immersive experience with beautiful scenery, wondrous creatures, and a story that is simply beautiful and it’s something I’d recommend everyone play. It’s a game that would appeal to younger audiences and older audiences because of the type of game it is.
I should make mention also that there are a few light puzzle-solving elements to the game that do force the player to solve. But, these puzzle-solving elements don’t spoil the game in its entirety and they’re minimal compared to the rest of the gameplay of Beasts of Maravilla Island.
There is something worth mentioning also about The Beasts of Maravilla Island something not many games do and that is their variety of language options. The game has ten different language settings! Making it incredibly accessible not just to an English audience but to an international audience as well. The languages are all subtitled outside of English being the only voiced language but the option is there for anyone who speaks Russian, Japanese, Chinese both traditional and simplified, Italian, French, German, and even Portuguese!
It goes without saying that just on the gameplay alone, I am having a wonderful time with this title. The fact is also apparent that Whitethorn Digital has gone out of its way to make the game more accessible to a larger audience is just impressive and thoughtful.
Beasts of Maravilla Island is a game I would recommend to anyone, and everyone and if you’re looking for a relaxing, chill game to play then this is the game I would recommend for you.
An autistic gamer with opinions on games who also enjoys making dumb videos on the internet!