STORM BOY: The Game Review for Nintendo Switch

Introduction

              In the distance, you here the soft sound of the ocean’s waves gently pushing against the sandy shore. The breeze carries a strong scent of salt, enveloping the surrounding grass and fills your lungs. The smooth sensation of the beach clings to your feet as you gaze over the sea, seemingly reaching beyond the horizon, never ending. In Storm Boy: The Game, produced by Blowfish Studios, the player takes control of Storm Boy himself to explore the beaches on the shore of Southern Australia.

Gameplay

              In terms of the actual mechanics, the developers chose an interesting direction. In the overworld, you control Storm Boy along a singular path. This singular path spans over several different screens and areas, but it is admittingly simplistic from the beginning. Linear movement throughout the entirety of the game, you can only move left or right. Along the path, however, are various points of interests, where you can interact and enter a mini game state. There are a handful of different mini games, from swimming in the ocean and surfing the sand dunes on the shore, to feeding orphaned pelican chicks. That one becomes important, as it is how Mr. Percival the pelican enters the story, at which point there are a couple of mini games in which you control Mr. Percival. Many of these mini games include this sense of endlessness, akin somewhat to the endless nature of the ocean and beaches upon which this story takes place.

Lore/World Building

              The real gift of this game is the story it contains. Sitting somewhere between a nostalgic reminisce on childhood adventures and a somewhat whimsical retelling of memories is this game. The way in which the mini games have no boundaries and the text that appears weaves together a tale of a boy exploring the beach under the watchful eye of his father and encountering new friends who have a lasting impact on him. The primary being Mr. Percival, the pelican. Even in the short amount of time the white bird is introduced into the story, you get attached to the pelican, as it starts following you around the beach and becomes an option to play in mini game. The story is about the wonders of childhood, loss, familiar ties all wrapped into one path on a beach.

Aesthetic (Art style/soundtrack)

              The game’s design is simple. Soft blue and gray tones that are easy on the eyes. Art design wise, it mildly reminds you of a children’s book, once again calling back to that theme of nostalgia and familiarity to the setting and story of the game. In terms of soundtrack, the music loops between a few different tracks, dependent on if you are in a mini game or on the main path. There are instances however of there being more intense, higher tempo music during a few moments of danger during the story.

Overall

              STORM BOY: The Game does a fantastic job of instilling that sense of familiarity, even if you did not experience that exact memory when you were a child. It somehow reminds you of adventures you never had. The art style and general aesthetic makes you recall story books and familiar visits to the beach. The story is driven by the dynamics between Storm Boy and Mr. Percival, and tugs at the heart strings for its genuineness and purity. The gameplay is simplistic, but it allows you to focus on the true power of the game, its story and the relationships that can be formed in times of adventure.

Score: 7.9

Take a Look at the STORM BOY: The Game Release Trailer:

STORM BOY: The Game is available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC via Steam, iOS, and Android.