Creature Keeper Review

Developer: Fervir Games

Platform: PC (Reviewed)

Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG

Publisher: Graffiti Games

Creature Keeper is an action-adventure RPG. The game was developed by Fervir Games and published by Graffiti Games. Creature Keeper takes inspiration from games such as Pokemon, and Zelda. The game is currently available for PC with future release on the Nintendo Switch.

Creature Keeper is a single-player game where you play as a trainee Soland Guard named Blank in the world of Thera. As you come of age, you need to learn how to fight and bond with creatures spread throughout the world. As you begin your training, you find out that the world of Thera has several secrets to uncover, and corruption begins to spread across the lands. Creatures begin darker versions of themselves and attack townsfolk, and it is up to you to stop it.

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Creature Keeper has a nice UI that matches well with its pixelated visuals, allowing for players to effectively use each item or skill through their journal. However, there were instances where the game would crash when you could not exit the journal or move over to the next section. In terms of the controls, they are quite simple and effective, and the in-game tutorial with ongoing tips allows for better familiarisation.

Creature Keeper has charming visuals that blend nostalgic pixel art elements into this 16-bit-inspired aesthetic. The world is vibrant and filled with colours that create such a lovely atmosphere. It is quite nice how the various environments are enriched with details that capture the beauty of various biomes. Even though the game features pixel art, it still does a wonderful job at creating enhancing atmospheres that are captivating to play in. The stand-alone visual feature for Creature Keeper has to do with the designs of the creatures that can go from anything, such as being a quirky frog to a flying bat or even a cute lion-like creature. The designs for the creatures blend in nicely with the environment, especially when it comes to more fauna-like creatures such as the vicious plant eaters. Alongside the visuals, you have a nice fluidity to the animations, especially when it comes to the little cutscene sequences that add emphasis to the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between the creatures and yourself, which enriches the gameplay and heavily focuses on the creature bonding element. Of course, the game features a nostalgic-inspired soundtrack, each track fitting a different mood of an area and creating a more immersive experience. The soundtrack is nice to relax and explore as you go ahead fighting and capturing creatures.

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At first, I was under the impression that Creature Keeper would be another Pokemon clone, but that was not the case. In this monster-taming game, you allow for your creatures to freely attack enemies alongside your attacks. You get to explore and have your creatures by your side, which forms such a bond between one another. The game also allows you to rename your creatures to make them more fitting for you. There are several elements to Creature Keeper that I enjoyed, especially when it came to the ability to capture creatures. Rather than having to battle them in a turn-based combat like most monster-taming games, in Creature Keeper, you can feed them their favourite fruit to befriend them. Any time I encountered a creature, I always found myself trying to befriend it, as it was nice to keep adding to the team. Plus, the more creatures you encounter, the more entries get added to your bestiary to earn points to upgrade your creatures. It gives players an actual purpose to capture or encounter creatures as they explore rather than just filling out a book.

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With the addition of each creature comes several perks. You have the ability to customize your creatures with each of their skill sets to allow for better attacks amongst enemies. You can switch around stats, skills, and perks, which is effective when reaching areas with more difficult creatures. You do get the option to upgrade your weapons so that real-time combat is not lacking.

The concept of combat in Creature Keeper is fun, but I felt that there was a bit of a delay in the actual response to the attacks. For instance, you would throw out your boomerang, and when it would come back to you, there would be some delay in between carrying out another attack. Even though the attack for your character seemed off, the creature attacks add another depth to the game. They automatically attack enemies, but you have the ability to control special attacks, manage your party, and heal each other whilst the waves of fights are in play. At times, I did find that you could easily evade fights, but it is always a good option to engage and level up your creatures.

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Creature Keeper includes a mechanic very different from other games, being its farming element. Rather than having areas to heal your creature or constantly petting your creature for HP, you can farm in the most interesting way possible. A farmland within your base provides you with a 7×7 grid where you play a Tetris-like game to plant seeds that will grow buffs and produce flowers and food for your creatures. Farming is explained so nicely by the forgetful scarecrow, Sabi, where the interactions are hilarious.

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Creature Keeper features several interactions between characters that enhance gameplay by adding more narrative and allowing players to choose dialogue options to carry out a conversation. You will encounter all sorts of quirky characters, play out intense boss fights, and share a heartwarming experience with your creature. The game does have a few hiccups here and there, but the gameplay is not over complicated and allows for a nice playthrough.

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If you’re looking for a wholesome yet engaging adventure that combines creature bonding, light farming mechanics, and charming pixel art with real-time combat, Creature Keeper is absolutely worth your time. While it has a few minor technical hiccups, its strengths far outweigh them-especially its heartfelt creature interactions, detailed environments, and nostalgic soundtrack that makes every moment feel magical. Whether you’re a fan of monster-taming games or just love exploring colourful worlds filled with personality, Creature Keeper offers a refreshing and cosy experience. So, be sure to check out Creature Keeper!

Overall: 8/10