Dog fighting sucks. It is not a controversial opinion, but it always comes to mind when I see or think Pokemon. While I understand all the reasons why people claim it is different, it still feels too much like that terrible “sport.” Ooblets, now in early access, fix this major problem with Pokemon and also add some Stardew valley-like agriculture and a relaxed world for mixing.
Ooblets It starts with the decision to leave your old life boring and head to a strange new island where people live next to cute little creatures called Ooblets. Think Pokemon, but cuter, smaller, and less dangerous and creepy. These little creatures can be seen as mushrooms, tree stumps, robots, and more. They’re adorable. I love them. When you arrive, you quickly get your own Ooblet and the mayor gives you an old shack and some land in exchange for helping out on the island. And that’s the main setup, you help people, meet new Ooblets, and use the resources you earn by doing all of this to build and improve your farm and home. It is a simple and satisfying cycle, made more enjoyable by how beautiful and pretty the world of Ooblets is to explore
This is a world where people say all kinds of strange and made-up words and where no one seems to get too stressed out. A world where anyone can be who they want to be, including yourself. The game allows you to mix and match traditional male and female clothes and hairstyles. Also, all menu options are casually written, with things like “Nah” instead of no and “Sure … great” instead of yes. If that sounds annoying to you, then you probably won’t enjoy the rest of Ooblets Style and presentation. But I found it quirky and fun enough without crossing into troublesome territory.
It’s not just about exploring a cute and casual world in Ooblets. There is “combat” between his growing team of Ooblets and other Ooblets. However, this combat is not about physically attacking or damaging the other critters. Instead, you fight at dances, surrounded by other dancing Ooblets. Although these “fights” are shown in the game to be dance contests, the actual combat takes place through cards. These card battles are not like Hearthstone, where you try to destroy cards and hurt your opponent. Instead, try to earn points quickly to fill a meter and reach a certain amount first.
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To do this, you play standard move cards you always have access to or special cards that only certain Ooblets bring with them into battle. For example, my little robot Ooblet, Sidekey, had a special ability that allowed him to double the number of points I earned for my next move card. Each card has a “heartbeat” cost, which is just another word for mana. Each turn you get three mana points and try to earn as many points as you can. It’s simple, but after only an hour of play, I was finding new cards and strategies that helped me make things more interesting. I can see it expanding more and more as I find more Ooblets and face tougher bugs.
Like in Stardew valleyYou have a city full of locals who have their own personalities and behaviors. You can talk to everyone and be nice to everyone or ignore some of them, like the policeman who suggests he’ll arrest me if I scream too loudly. (As always, ACAB.)
Also like Stardew, you have to manage your energy. If you do too much, such as tilling a lot of dirt or picking a lot of fruit, you will get tired and fall asleep. You can drink and eat to regain energy, but the best way is to sleep at night. Although try to explore a little while the sun is down. The game looks wonderful, especially at night.
There are a lot of things in Ooblets. Lots of people to talk, side activities to try, challenges to complete, furniture to buy, and agriculture to do. You can farm to sell, eat, or even collect seeds from defeated Ooblets and grow new creatures that will join you on your adventure. I admit I didn’t expect that much depth and I was pleasantly surprised to find so much to do. After only 3 hours, I want to play more. I want to see and collect more Ooblets. I also just want to keep saying the word Ooblets.
Ooooobbllets. It is fun to say. Fun to write. Fun to play
Ooblets are now available in early access on the Epic Games Store or Xbox One through Game Preview.
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