Well, I definitely didn’t see the tremendous quality of this one coming. Creaks is Amanita Design at their finest, an absolute joy for puzzle-adventure game lovers.
In this game, Amanita finally steps forward from their usual point&click adventures into a game with full control over the character. It draws gameplay inspiration from classics like Flashback or the Oddworld series, and more recent titles like Candle, games in which you must lead the character through a rather dangerous world while solving puzzles along the way.
In Creaks, all the puzzles are environment-based, which means that every solution depends on the movement of the protagonist and how it affects the scenery and other characters/enemies. You will have to combine that with some classic button pushing, lever pulling, ladder climbing and simple items usage in order to progress. Also, in a very brave design choice, the entire world map is fully interconnected, and every room and corridor leads somewhere in a very organic way, in spite of the intricate first impression that it produces. All the puzzles have their fair share of difficulty, not overcomplicating them but providing a decent challenge and with a very well structured sense of learning and progression.
Aside from that, the story and visuals both have that signature Amanita charm. I usually love what they achieve in terms of visuals and to me, games like Machinarium or Botanicula are absolute indie classics in that regard, but I think Creaks really went that extra mile, and it clicked with me a lot. Maybe it’s because they kind of go back to the hand-drawn style of visuals from Machinarium, or perhaps due to its darker and grittier twist, but I was praying for the game to never end.
Linking the artstyle to the gameplay mechanics, there’s also the way in which Creaks treats secrets and achevements: during your quest, you will come across plenty of paintings with a distinct visual style (actual oil paintings!). All of them are quite beautiful and include some little funny animations, but some of them will also contain exclusive minigames for you to play (most of them won’t pose much of a challenge). Beating those will grant you an achievement, making for a nice, lovely pace break in your adventure.
The music is also very high quality, as usual in the productions of this studio, and has similar vibes to games like Machinarium, Samorost or Pilgrims. It is also adaptative and changes to let you know that you’re on the right track while solving a puzzle. Sound design is also quite on point, very elegant specially with the audio direction for the mechanical enemies, which perfectly combine an organic and artificial feel that represents their in-game duality.
As I said, I really enjoyed this experience and as soon as I finished the game I immediately wanted to play more. I hope that Amanita Design keeps exploring this gameplay and narrative road since to me this felt like their most ambitious game to date.
Do not turn off the lights!
In this game, Amanita finally steps forward from their usual point&click adventures into a game with full control over the character. It draws gameplay inspiration from classics like Flashback or the Oddworld series, and more recent titles like Candle, games in which you must lead the character through a rather dangerous world while solving puzzles along the way.
In Creaks, all the puzzles are environment-based, which means that every solution depends on the movement of the protagonist and how it affects the scenery and other characters/enemies. You will have to combine that with some classic button pushing, lever pulling, ladder climbing and simple items usage in order to progress. Also, in a very brave design choice, the entire world map is fully interconnected, and every room and corridor leads somewhere in a very organic way, in spite of the intricate first impression that it produces. All the puzzles have their fair share of difficulty, not overcomplicating them but providing a decent challenge and with a very well structured sense of learning and progression.
Aside from that, the story and visuals both have that signature Amanita charm. I usually love what they achieve in terms of visuals and to me, games like Machinarium or Botanicula are absolute indie classics in that regard, but I think Creaks really went that extra mile, and it clicked with me a lot. Maybe it’s because they kind of go back to the hand-drawn style of visuals from Machinarium, or perhaps due to its darker and grittier twist, but I was praying for the game to never end.
Linking the artstyle to the gameplay mechanics, there’s also the way in which Creaks treats secrets and achevements: during your quest, you will come across plenty of paintings with a distinct visual style (actual oil paintings!). All of them are quite beautiful and include some little funny animations, but some of them will also contain exclusive minigames for you to play (most of them won’t pose much of a challenge). Beating those will grant you an achievement, making for a nice, lovely pace break in your adventure.
The music is also very high quality, as usual in the productions of this studio, and has similar vibes to games like Machinarium, Samorost or Pilgrims. It is also adaptative and changes to let you know that you’re on the right track while solving a puzzle. Sound design is also quite on point, very elegant specially with the audio direction for the mechanical enemies, which perfectly combine an organic and artificial feel that represents their in-game duality.
As I said, I really enjoyed this experience and as soon as I finished the game I immediately wanted to play more. I hope that Amanita Design keeps exploring this gameplay and narrative road since to me this felt like their most ambitious game to date.
Do not turn off the lights!
A fun puzzle game that never lingers too long on a single gimmick. Creaks struck the right balance of having satisfying puzzles that never frustrated me too much.
Really nice art too. But that's to be expected from the Machinarium developer.
Obtained Platinum trophy
Really nice art too. But that's to be expected from the Machinarium developer.
Obtained Platinum trophy
Short and pleasant puzzle game with excellent presentation! Although not groundbreaking (no pun intended) the puzzles are relatively cleverly designed and the whole audiovisual side is simply a stylistic treat!
the puzzles are pretty competent: not too difficult, yet explore some interesting consequences of the combined mechanics introduced. nothing overstays its welcome. if anything, i wish there were a little more puzzles with some of the mechanics.
easily the best part of the game, at least for me, was the music. there's no melody i could hum from this game, even now just after completing it, but i am a complete sucker for its dynamic music. as you get closer to the solution with each puzzle, the music swells a little bit more with new instruments or backing parts culminating in a nice swell beat drop of sorts that makes solving each puzzle shoot up my brain with "yippee i did it" juice.
the art is very cool and i like how contiguous a lot of its architecture is. there's screen transitions, but its clear there was a very cohesive world designed with intention.the way the gameplay melts perfectly into the cutscenes and back shows how visually dynamic some of these spaces are. the player movement is on a tile based system, but it feels smooth, and you can't easily tell just by looking at it. despite that, it's perfectly readable and without any confusion about where you can walk.
there's some secrets here and there in the form of these little paintings. some just serve as cute little unique looking visuals with some music, but some are interactive with nice minigame aesthetics that were honestly some of my favorite parts of the game.
ultimately, i enjoyed my time in this furniture world. the wordless story was fine and servicable for what it is. nothing too crazy, but does not need to be. there's some "aha" moments to be had, and its an enjoyable experience overall. not the most mindblowing game i've ever played, but i am glad i did.
easily the best part of the game, at least for me, was the music. there's no melody i could hum from this game, even now just after completing it, but i am a complete sucker for its dynamic music. as you get closer to the solution with each puzzle, the music swells a little bit more with new instruments or backing parts culminating in a nice swell beat drop of sorts that makes solving each puzzle shoot up my brain with "yippee i did it" juice.
the art is very cool and i like how contiguous a lot of its architecture is. there's screen transitions, but its clear there was a very cohesive world designed with intention.the way the gameplay melts perfectly into the cutscenes and back shows how visually dynamic some of these spaces are. the player movement is on a tile based system, but it feels smooth, and you can't easily tell just by looking at it. despite that, it's perfectly readable and without any confusion about where you can walk.
there's some secrets here and there in the form of these little paintings. some just serve as cute little unique looking visuals with some music, but some are interactive with nice minigame aesthetics that were honestly some of my favorite parts of the game.
ultimately, i enjoyed my time in this furniture world. the wordless story was fine and servicable for what it is. nothing too crazy, but does not need to be. there's some "aha" moments to be had, and its an enjoyable experience overall. not the most mindblowing game i've ever played, but i am glad i did.
Creaks leans into my imagination from when I was a child. Looking for hidden doors, imagining fantastic worlds and creatures both nightmarish and benign. It reminds me of a mixture of Coraline and Dark Crystal mixed into one. You play the role of a young man who is seemingly a student studying whose peace is disturbed by shaking, lights going out and the wallpaper in their dilapidated bedsit falling down revealing a small sealed door hidden behind. The door leads to a vast underground cavern with a giant residential structure that feels like it was designed by M.C Escher.
The game itself is a puzzle title as you explore this large structure meeting the remnants of the occupants and the cause disturbing your dwelling above. It's essentially a series of puzzle rooms split by elevators and hallways. I've seen it described as a platformer equally and it really isn't, the jumps are essentially automated as part of solving the puzzle design. The puzzles themselves are simple but in a way that make you think without getting to frustrated which I appreciated. They are mostly logic puzzles with robot dogs, shadow creatures, switches, lights and levers. I found I could figure most of them out in a reasonable time frame though a few really did stump me despite their simplicity. The issue I had though was they just get a bit old as though there is occasionally a new enemy variety to mix things up nothing really evolves for the playtime and in some ways this game feels really long though it all comes together pretty nicely in the finale.
Creaks biggest strength for me is it's art style. It has a gorgeous hand drawn 2D style that almost feels like a children's book in some ways. It comes across as a little whimsical, I really liked it. There is a large amount of detail in the backgrounds as you explore, tiles, statues, plants and the fantastic interactive paintings you can find on the walls all make Creaks a visually charming experience. It also has a stellar soundtrack by Hidden Orchestra.
This isn't the usual game I buy. I'm not a big puzzle game fan but the positive critic reviews and art piqued my curiosity similar to the previous game of this studio I played, Machinarium. I'm not here for the puzzle gameplay, not really. I'm here for the atmosphere and in that, the developer Amanita Design nailed it.
The game itself is a puzzle title as you explore this large structure meeting the remnants of the occupants and the cause disturbing your dwelling above. It's essentially a series of puzzle rooms split by elevators and hallways. I've seen it described as a platformer equally and it really isn't, the jumps are essentially automated as part of solving the puzzle design. The puzzles themselves are simple but in a way that make you think without getting to frustrated which I appreciated. They are mostly logic puzzles with robot dogs, shadow creatures, switches, lights and levers. I found I could figure most of them out in a reasonable time frame though a few really did stump me despite their simplicity. The issue I had though was they just get a bit old as though there is occasionally a new enemy variety to mix things up nothing really evolves for the playtime and in some ways this game feels really long though it all comes together pretty nicely in the finale.
Creaks biggest strength for me is it's art style. It has a gorgeous hand drawn 2D style that almost feels like a children's book in some ways. It comes across as a little whimsical, I really liked it. There is a large amount of detail in the backgrounds as you explore, tiles, statues, plants and the fantastic interactive paintings you can find on the walls all make Creaks a visually charming experience. It also has a stellar soundtrack by Hidden Orchestra.
This isn't the usual game I buy. I'm not a big puzzle game fan but the positive critic reviews and art piqued my curiosity similar to the previous game of this studio I played, Machinarium. I'm not here for the puzzle gameplay, not really. I'm here for the atmosphere and in that, the developer Amanita Design nailed it.
This is a very charming puzzle game. The player must traverse this massive structure while dealing with the monsters that stand guard. The game introduces a number of creatures, each behaving in unique ways that allow for fun puzzle design. Many puzzles have clever solutions that made me feel smart for solving them. That said, the game never gets too difficult. I would have appreciated it if the final puzzles increased the challenge, but that's a personal preference.
I love the setting of this game. The player descends though a beautiful structure, and each of the rooms have unique features and decor. I love how you can see other levels in the game, even if you're in a separate one entirely. Things like that really make the world seem unified. The dynamic music is also great. Having the music change once I solved a puzzle is always a treat.
I love the setting of this game. The player descends though a beautiful structure, and each of the rooms have unique features and decor. I love how you can see other levels in the game, even if you're in a separate one entirely. Things like that really make the world seem unified. The dynamic music is also great. Having the music change once I solved a puzzle is always a treat.
Puzzles and Art styles were super creative and the ending was wholesome. Would definitely recommend this underrated gem.
Sights & Sounds
- The hand drawn + watercolor visuals are very charming. It's a great looking game
- The music is alright. While not bad, it certainly isn't all that memorable
- Counter to that is the sound design, which was actually quite good. The ominous titular creaking of the giant crumbling edifice you're exploring, the thunderous stomping of the creature that's stalking you, and even the subtle sounds of footsteps and light switches all contribute well to the game's gloomy tones
Story & Vibes
- It's not all doom and gloom, though. Creaks does a good job of breaking the tension with occasional doses of humor. There's nothing laugh-out-loud funny going on, but the occasional chuckle is appreciated
- There's not much of a story. You're just a guy living in a small apartment who climbs through a hole in the wall to discover a strange world full of monsters and puzzles. So basically Silent Hill 4
- That isn't to say that Creaks lacks a narrative. You are trying to help the residents of the large building defend against the giant who keeps bashing up their house, but the whole story unfolds passively as you progress
Playability & Replayability
- The puzzles in Creaks are pretty good and just difficult enough during the later stages to be satisfying. Just take your time, pay attention to the environment, and don't be afraid to experiment
- In some of the longer puzzles where it's possible to die, the game does a good job of providing checkpoints. It was a nice little quality-of-life touch
- Most of the puzzles revolve around positioning, sequencing, and timing. Nothing revolutionary, but still fun
- Be sure to poke around for secrets if you're trying to 100% the game. None of them are too deviously hidden (I only missed a single one by the time I finished). Fortunately, there's a chapter select after you beat the game that allows you to go back for any you passed up
Overall Impressions & Performance
- Amanita may only make one type of game (puzzle adventure games with amazing visuals, minimalist storytelling, and heaps of atmosphere), but they're damn good at it
- Creaks is an ideal Steam Deck game. I played most of it while dealing with air travel. It did a good job distracting me from the cramped 737 seat
Final Verdict
- 7/10. If you're already into Amanita games, this will definitely appeal to you and is definitely worth playing. It's not quite as heartfelt or complex as Machinarium, but it's still a good time with some clever puzzles. Nice to look at, too
- The hand drawn + watercolor visuals are very charming. It's a great looking game
- The music is alright. While not bad, it certainly isn't all that memorable
- Counter to that is the sound design, which was actually quite good. The ominous titular creaking of the giant crumbling edifice you're exploring, the thunderous stomping of the creature that's stalking you, and even the subtle sounds of footsteps and light switches all contribute well to the game's gloomy tones
Story & Vibes
- It's not all doom and gloom, though. Creaks does a good job of breaking the tension with occasional doses of humor. There's nothing laugh-out-loud funny going on, but the occasional chuckle is appreciated
- There's not much of a story. You're just a guy living in a small apartment who climbs through a hole in the wall to discover a strange world full of monsters and puzzles. So basically Silent Hill 4
- That isn't to say that Creaks lacks a narrative. You are trying to help the residents of the large building defend against the giant who keeps bashing up their house, but the whole story unfolds passively as you progress
Playability & Replayability
- The puzzles in Creaks are pretty good and just difficult enough during the later stages to be satisfying. Just take your time, pay attention to the environment, and don't be afraid to experiment
- In some of the longer puzzles where it's possible to die, the game does a good job of providing checkpoints. It was a nice little quality-of-life touch
- Most of the puzzles revolve around positioning, sequencing, and timing. Nothing revolutionary, but still fun
- Be sure to poke around for secrets if you're trying to 100% the game. None of them are too deviously hidden (I only missed a single one by the time I finished). Fortunately, there's a chapter select after you beat the game that allows you to go back for any you passed up
Overall Impressions & Performance
- Amanita may only make one type of game (puzzle adventure games with amazing visuals, minimalist storytelling, and heaps of atmosphere), but they're damn good at it
- Creaks is an ideal Steam Deck game. I played most of it while dealing with air travel. It did a good job distracting me from the cramped 737 seat
Final Verdict
- 7/10. If you're already into Amanita games, this will definitely appeal to you and is definitely worth playing. It's not quite as heartfelt or complex as Machinarium, but it's still a good time with some clever puzzles. Nice to look at, too
Creaks is a typical Amanita Design game. The art style feels somewhat familiar, if you played any of their other games. Its gorgeous in its own right, for sure, but for me it just felt a bit too grey and colorless. I didn't really enjoy exploring its world, but that may be by design. Also, I don't know if my brain is just wired differently, but some of these puzzles really broke me. I wouldn't consider them to be hard, but somehow, they broke my brain. Not sure, if anyone else feel like this. But this greatly diminished the fun I had with this game.
All of this though, is not really important for me personally. Because the soundtrack this game received is nothing short of a masterpiece. Hidden Orchestra is something that has landed on my playlist for years now and the Creaks OST is up there with the best for me. It's so good I feel it's a bit wasted on this game, but hey, its on Spotify so I'm just gonna continue listening to it there.
All of this though, is not really important for me personally. Because the soundtrack this game received is nothing short of a masterpiece. Hidden Orchestra is something that has landed on my playlist for years now and the Creaks OST is up there with the best for me. It's so good I feel it's a bit wasted on this game, but hey, its on Spotify so I'm just gonna continue listening to it there.