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Creatures of Ava

Creatures of Ava

Inverge Studios · released Aug 7, 2024

ActionAdventureIndiePCXbox Series X

Let your empathy guide you as you play an exciting action-adventure, creature-saver game. Understand and tame the creatures of Ava and let them lead you through a variety of ecosystems, all in the hopes of saving the planet from a life-consuming infection.

78
VGC Score
Stablehigh confidence

anchored at patch: “Creatures of Ava | Free Collectibles Update” (1y ago)

79%
At launch
87%
Steam all-time
76%
Press
69%
Player sentiment
85%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)7670
All-time Steam reviews87%80278
Metacritic user ratings6916
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)85%79300
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Oct 1, 2024) · 300 reviews sampled · 198 total reviews in window · weighted 170.5 up / 30.1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (55)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 80
    trust 78Aug 7, 2024

    Creatures of Ava is a lovely and soothing exploration game that you will be happy to play. The pleasant tones combined with the lovely music will relax you and you will enjoy the peace you didn't even know you needed. At the same time, you must save the planet Ava from the withering disease before it destroys all living things. This involves coaxing the inhabitants of Naam, who are united with the planet and unconcerned about some mass extinction. However, the entire game is plagued by pervasive bugs, uncollision textures and sometimes you'll just have to reset it.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 78Aug 25, 2024

    A nice adventure with a good premise, but kind of a monotonous gameplay.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 76Aug 5, 2024

    Creatures of Ava is an exceptional game that can both move and delight you. It combines a magical world full of adorable creatures with deep emotional resonance and an original story. Despite minor technical flaws and occasional monotony, it offers a unique experience full of powerful moments. If you’re looking for a game that will tug at your heartstrings and offer something more than just traditional gameplay mechanics, Creatures of Ava is a great choice.

    read full review ↗
  • 73
    trust 73Aug 23, 2024

    Creatures of Ava is a delightful yet imperfect surprise. While the game is undeniably enjoyable and features several commendable elements, it falls short of fully realizing the promising ideas envisioned by its developers. This feels like a missed opportunity, as the initial narrative appeal suggested the potential for a more impactful experience. With a bit more fine-tuning, the gameplay mechanics could have evolved into something truly exceptional.

    read full review ↗
  • 72
    trust 72Aug 16, 2024

    Creatures of Ava succeeds in proving to be a unique title of its kind, offering interesting insights into the themes addressed and laying a solid foundation for the evolution of a non-violent approach in gameplay. The game world is original and well realised, making the project worthy of attention. However, the title is not without flaws, especially in terms of longevity, due to the repetitiveness of some mechanics, although well conceived. We still recommend keeping an eye on it, especially if you are curious to experience it for yourself.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 71Sep 8, 2024

    There's a certain irony to Creatures of Ava: that an unadulterated alien world teeming with wildlife can feel so tamed and overdeveloped by the very hands who crafted it.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 70Aug 5, 2024

    Creatures of Ava is a great open-world action-adventure game with many Disney-like themes but lacks variety in its gameplay elements.

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    trust 69Aug 5, 2024

    Creatures of Ava is a game that feels like it's created for younger gamers but in fact it can be even more appealing to adults! The game might have simple gameplay with simple puzzles and action scenarios, but it offers an absolutely beautiful world with amazing variety and beauty which feels great to explore. Animals are truly adorable and overall, it really feels good to play Creatures of Ava and enjoy its world and story.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 69Aug 7, 2024

    Creatures of Ava is a game that people of all ages can play and enjoy. While the gameplay may become repetitive after a while, exploring the fascinating aspects of its world remains highly enjoyable.

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  • 80
    trust 68Aug 6, 2024

    Creatures of Ava is a fantastic game and I really like the pacifist approach to game play. It was a refreshing change to be collecting creatures in order to save them instead of trying to be the very best there ever was. The narrative in Creatures of Ava is also a strong highpoint which comes as no surprise since the story was co-written by Rhianna Pratchett; who has written stories like Heavenly Sword and Rise of Tomb Raider. With a gorgeous world, fun and addictive gameplay and a great story, Creatures of Ava is a really fun experience and one that offers something very different from the other creature collectors on the market.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 67Aug 9, 2024

    It may seem like I’ve been unduly harsh to Creatures of Ava, but that is because there are some excellent ideas here, but the execution has missed the mark. Nothing is wrong with a creature-taming title stepping back from a traditional combat system and embracing a pacifist approach. If anything, exploring this avenue can provide an opportunity to craft a distinctive identity in the genre, but you need to make sure other aspects of the gameplay are compelling. I often found myself going through the motions rather than wanting to see what was next. Strangely, I think the game tried to be too smart for its own good and backfired. It packed too many ideas, and there was little thought on how these mechanics would benefit one another. If you like some of the concepts that Creatures of Ava dabbles in, you will find some redeeming characteristics which might be worth your time. However, I don’t think I’ll return to Creatures of Ava anytime soon.

    read full review ↗
  • 84
    trust 66Aug 12, 2024

    Creatures of Ava is a great game for those looking to explore a new world in an exciting way. The graphics and sound make the world feel real and add so much immersion to the game. The story is also simple enough to allow you to jump in and out of the game, which is great for a relaxing game you may want to play for just an hour at a time rather than all at once.

    read full review ↗

…and 43 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. Creatures of Ava | Free Collectibles Update
    Oct 1, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  2. Free Explorer Update is out now along with the 11 Facts Trailer 💚
    Sep 25, 2024significant · resets scoring window