Review of Small Survivors (PC, Linux, & macOS)

I have not played a game cuter than Little Survivors, but looking back, the title should have tipped me off that my heart would melt. I’m sold already, playing through comic books with the pages flipping before my eyes. Despite the charm of the art style, it is important to understand that the time spent here will be worthwhile.

Admittedly, this is not a Triple-A or even Double-A level game. Instead, it is a tiny, brief game that you will likely finish within a couple of hours. In order to compensate for your brief gaming experience, the developer has reduced the cost to just $6.29 until October 8, 2024 before raising it back to $6.99.

However, it is still a reasonable price, if not a great deal, for a fast shopping trip that will leave you feeling happy. What is the deal with this game? Is it advisable for you to participate? Let’s discover more in our in-depth examination of Little Survivors.

Liberate Animals Confined in Enclosures

According to the developer, Little Survivors is described as a brief and approachable adventure featuring action and roguelite components. The gameplay is described as “simple yet satisfying” and will have you defeating various types of monsters. These creatures, the vile Glurks monsters, desire to see your head displayed on a stake. You have to face them directly because the game includes adorable animals in need of your help.

That’s basically the tale, or at least the important details. It is the concept that motivates you to go into battle and rescue various animals. I didn’t anticipate a very deep story. The current statement effectively establishes the context. Moreover, there is no voice acting or narration present to justify the development of a true storyline.

However, adding doodles to the comic books may have increased the level of immersion. Currently, the comic book pages are displayed across the screen, with your character appearing on them. As your character navigates the pages, the Glurks will appear and start pursuing him. Trees and columns, some of which can be broken, will be visible. And obviously, the animals in cages that require saving.

And that is essentially all there is to it. Maybe with texts providing additional details to the story or giving updates on the impact of your efforts on the world, the playthrough could have been more engaging.

Assist me, my dog and bird.

Therefore, the gameplay is actually quite straightforward. Marco and Eva browse through the comic books. Their actions cause the malicious Glurks to attack you with swinging swords. The adorable aspect of the game is that each character has a pet: Marco has a dog and Eva has a bird. Whenever you push the corresponding action button for any character, your pet will come and help you.

In particular, Marco signals his dog with a whistle, prompting it to run towards you aggressively, injuring any Glurks in its path. Likewise, Eva lies on her bed and lays eggs that explode, annihilating any malicious Glurks attempting to harm you. Your pets are also able to damage the obstacles in your path in order to save a trapped animal.

According to the game’s description, the gameplay is actually quite straightforward. But even though you only need to press one button to control all the action, it can be quite enjoyable to see your pet defeat the Glurks or demolish objects. Even more so due to the somewhat graphic animation that splashes blood following every death.

At times, your pet has the ability to run through several Glurks and defeat them all in one pass. Nevertheless, there is also a tactical element involved to make sure that the Glurks are in the way of your pet’s path towards you. Timing is crucial since both the Glurks and your character are constantly on the move.

Enlist liberated animals to join your team.

In the end, as you progress to higher levels, you will come across more intricate situations. There will be various levels with several pillars blocking your path, for example. Alternatively, Glurks can be spread far apart, necessitating several charges from your pets to eliminate them all. Alternatively, your pet might be outnumbered by the sheer quantity of Glurks.

Luckily, you can choose to add more animals to your team. While playing, you will encounter large question marks that your pet can run into and release animals such as bees to assist you during fights. You might also encounter animals imprisoned in cages that, once freed, can assist you in eliminating Glurks.

Vorelian has purposely designed it to be easy for the animals you release and the ones you set free to automatically eliminate the Glurks. However, the other creatures assist you in various ways, so you must remain vigilant to prevent the Glurks from depleting your health. Unlocking six additional animals in the game will add variety to your playthrough during its brief duration.

Gather as many hearts as possible.

While playing, it is important to try and gather as many hearts as you can. They will be distributed randomly throughout the comic book pages. These objects will help you endure for a longer period of time, despite the Glurks constantly chasing you. As a roguelite, when you die, you will redo runs using the resources you collected.

In general, Little Survivors spans four chapters in total. Keep in mind that the chapters are procedurally generated, keeping your playthrough interesting. This is useful in the endless mode, allowing you to play unlimited levels continuously.

At its peak level of intensity, you may find yourself making quick decisions that can greatly impact your gameplay. You might have to decide between saving an animal or obtaining a heart, amidst the environment deteriorating and the Glurks’ actions growing increasingly erratic.

This simply means that there is a lot more to Little Survivors than what initially meets the eye. Beginning as a basic game, the activity quickly becomes a more intricate endeavor, demanding focus and planning for future actions. You also encounter bosses throughout the game, such as a huge owl that requires your pet to perform numerous takedowns in order to defeat it.

Slideshow

When it comes to the graphics, Little Survivors appears very adorable and charming. Hand-drawn cartoons are full of vibrant colors and flavor. Every page of the comic book showcases precise details, and the animations flow seamlessly. Simultaneously, the audio quality is top-notch, featuring captivating sound effects like the bees buzzing and the amusing Glurks noises. You can also notice different pitches in the music, shifting between moments of tranquility during low-risk situations to heightened anxiety as the Glurks approach.

The explosive eggs in Eva’s scene may be noisy, but you can lower the volume in the settings. The mechanic is not as thrilling as Marco’s part: a pet running through numerous Glurks defeats a huge egg hovering above the comic book and detonates to eliminate the Glurk that crosses its path. Keep in mind, Eva may have to gently press her pet bird several times to lay multiple eggs in order to defeat all the Glurks mentioned in the book. And occasionally, it is either successful or unsuccessful.

Additionally, upon impact Glurks transform into black ink, which is not as thrilling as bloody gore. White paint also has the potential to dampen the enjoyment of those who appreciate the vibrant red hue.

Ruling

It’s amazing that Little Survivors was created by a solo developer named Vorelian. This is because it is a truly enjoyable game to spend a couple of hours playing. Anyone can dive right into the game without any prior knowledge, using just one button to progress through the gameplay. Nevertheless, despite having just one action button, the intensity of the gameplay increases as you advance through the levels.

You will soon gain access to increasingly difficult levels designed to challenge your timing and stamina. You might need to pause in order to come back with a new perspective. Nevertheless, each moment invested in the game is rewarding and fulfilling. The sound effects and soundtrack create an immersive experience, including sections that are both humorous and intense. The music becomes more intense as the Glurks approach closer to ending your life.

At the same time, the art style is absolutely adorable, featuring vibrant and neat hand-drawn cartoons and animation. The only downside is that the game is fairly brief. Additional content would be beneficial, particularly in terms of the storytelling, which can seem inadequate. You lack voice acting and text narration, but these could be included in a possible sequel.