Watch our review of indie puzzle platformer – Creaks!
We’ll tell you everything you need to know before you play this gorgeous game.
Transcript
Hey how’s it going guys! Welcome to our review of Creaks, available on Apple Arcade, PC, PS4, Xbox One & Nintendo Switch. We’ll tell you everything you need to know before you play, but before I do, make sure to hit subscribe and the notification bell for reviews, interviews, features and more. You’re not going to want to miss it.
Creaks is a puzzle platform adventure title from Czech developers Amanita Design, who are more known for their point and click adventure titles.
Heavily inspired by the works of Neil Gaiman and Tim Burton, our protagonist finds a hidden vent in his room which leads to a subterranean world, deep below the Earth’s surface. He finds this strange land inhabited by anthropomorphic bird people known as Avians, who you have to help in their struggle to defeat the malevolent Creaks. Creaks are monsters that play off our pareidolia – the imagined perception of a pattern or meaning where it does not actually exist, like when the silhouette of your chair looks like a demon at 3 in the morning.Â
With an interesting concept and an artstyle straight from a Hot Topic Pinterest board, I was really excited to get my hands on this game, but waited for the wider console release so I could experience it with a controller, rather than a touch screen. But when all is said and done, is Creaks any good? Watch on, to find out…
Firstly, I joke about the artstyle, but seriously, it’s incredible. The heavily etched illustration is brimming with detail, some merely aesthetic, but some cleverly inserted to help you on your way. Much like Tim Burton’s animated films, it’s creepy without ever descending to outright horrifying, and really reminded me of some of the spooky books I used to read as a kid. I found myself pausing often to appreciate the depth of each level’s design. It feels like a living, breathing painting.
And this stylish, intuitive design extends to the audio too. The gloomy soundtrack compliments the visuals perfectly, and just like what we see on screen, it’s used for more than just ambience. As you get closer to figuring out a puzzle, the sounds will change, letting you know you’re on the right tracks. It’s a little thing, but it works so well at keeping you in the direction in a holistic way.
I also enjoyed how light is your primary tool for defense in this subterranean realm. By shining a light source on a foe, it’ll be disarmed, turning into an everyday object like a coat stand or a bedside table. Not only does this work as a clever game mechanic, but also cleverly plays into the theme of pareidolia.
And these are just some of the puzzles that you’ll come across in Creaks, that are by and large, a lot of fun. They make up the bulk of your time playing, and there’s a lot of them, given you can expect to sink 8 hours into it. The stage traversal puzzles get progressively more complex as you get through the game, and some require some real brain power to work out. So naturally I was screwed, and had to resort to online tutorials! The last thing I’ll say on the puzzles is that I’m glad I waited for the console release, as I can’t imagine moving around would be much fun with a touch screen. Fortunately with a controller, it’s a much more pleasant experience.Â
Finally, I loved the way the narrative unravels without excessive amounts of exposition. This makes exploration all that more satisfying, and it’s non-verbal nature gives it a universal appeal that can be enjoyed by anyone. Much like with everything to do with this game, expect it to be weird!
To wrap up, Creaks is a hugely enjoyable puzzle platformer that stands out thanks to it’s charming artstyle. Everything feels handmade in the best possible way, and it’s clear a lot of time, love and energy went in to make it as good as can be. A special mention to the puzzles themselves too, which are challenging and satisfying in equal measure. My advice? Play it with a controller if you can; you’ll have a much better time.
But what did you think of Creaks? Let us know in the comments below and don’t forget to like, share and subscribe for more videos like this every single week. See you next time!
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