I’ve been following Ooblets since late 2017, so I nearly cried happy tears when I saw it’d be featured at The MIX (the big, off-site indie game showcase during E3). Since press had an hour to walk around before industry guests showed up, I was the first person to play and had a full 15 minutes to experience the game I’ve been obsessing over on social media. I’m so happy to say that Ooblets is everything I hoped for and more.
After selecting a character, you enter Badgetown—a quiet town at the edge of Oob, an Ooblet-filled world. There, you have to decide which of the three town clubs to join and receive your first Ooblet. I embraced the game’s aesthetic and chose Frunbuns, also known as “the club of cute,” and Petula became my faithful companion. She followed me wherever I walked, never leaving my side, even when venturing to new places and maintaining the farm.
I spent the majority of the time setting up my farm and learning the game mechanics, which should come naturally to people who have played Ooblet‘s inspirations: Pokémon, Harvest Moon, and Animal Crossing. Depending on the seedling, harvested plants can either make your Ooblet learn new moves or spawn new Ooblets to join your posse. The farm itself is vast and green with plenty of space to grow to your heart’s content.
Look at alllll these plants
After Petula learned a couple new moves from battling wild Ooblets, we took to the forest in search of trainers ready to battle. The combat was really fun and extremely reminiscent of Pokémon—each Ooblet having a set of moves that do damage to its foe depending on its level. Despite being rough in nature, the combat animations were cute and gentle. However, the developers are moving away from fighting and instead opting for a cool new dance-off system. I think dance battles have the potential to be a truly unique and gentle take on competition, and I can’t wait to see how it all comes together.
This wholesomeness elevates the game’s aesthetic: cuteness overload. I’ve honestly never seen a cuter game. I mean, just look at their faces? It’s like the developers copy-pasted cute emoticons on every Ooblet’s face, and I’m so here for it.
SO W H O L E S O M E
People have different opinions on the most ambitious crossover in history, but I think Ooblets fits the bill perfectly—combining classic RPG elements for a nostalgic yet modern life simulation game. From farming and creature-collecting to talking with witty NPCs in a beautifully illustrated open world, Ooblets has something for players of all ages to enjoy. I can already feel the hundreds of hours I’ll invest in the game; I’m so ready for its release later this year.
