Stonefly Reviews
Stonefly delights the eyes and ears. But the gameplay mix, despite offering some depth, can't do the same. The combat simply isn't much fun, and exploring runs the risks of glitches. This strange premise just isn't executed that well. I'd stick with Creature in the Well until Stonefly gets a discount and patch.
Out of all the indies I've played recently, Stonefly stands out as one of the most unique and immersive; I highly recommend playing it.
Even with those bouts of frustration, Stonefly is a thoroughly unique game that has novel gameplay ideas and a wonderful story. Dancing around the world while piloting your mech, trying to find emotional catharsis for your heroine while also beating up some bugs so you can get more resources to upgrade your current ride is a heck of a gameplay loop. It's well worth experiencing if you want a chill adventure.
Stonefly is bristling with creative ideas, but doesn't quite manage to deliver them properly. The world is beautiful, but its design damages gameplay, combat is unique but make it very difficult to manage the amount of enemies required at once, and traversal is interesting but manages to feel unreliable due to its mechanical design. It's a game of missed opportunities, but there's still a number of reasons why you should experience this uniquely designed action RPG.
It is not enough to have ideas, you have to feed them, and make them grow. Stonefly exhibits this statement, because despite the fact that it is a highly original proposal and that it boasts a unique, differential and particular visual style, many of its mechanics have many flaws from a practical point of view. Certain edges that hinder our movements and that for more inri can slow them down, are some of its pending issues, especially if we want to survive in this insectoid world full of dangers. Now, if you like works that present different original and aesthetic ideas, it can be a good offer.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It’s to Flight School Studio’s credit that, though the clashes at the game’s core left me underwhelmed, the whole thing didn’t feel hollowed-out. This is down to Annika, who sits at its heart and drives it on.
Overall, Stonefly is an interesting experiment for Flight School Studio. There are some moments to genuinely love in its presentation and action. Unfortunately, the plot pacing and inconsistent combat can create some real frustration. It doesn’t seem sequels are Flight School’s style, but I definitely look forward to the ways they take the lessons from Stonefly and apply it to their next project, whatever it may be.
Stonefly is a beautiful work of art waiting to be explored!
I want to love Stonefly. It has all of the right pieces to make something great. When those pieces come together, though, the fit isn’t quite right, and the resulting whole has its share of holes. This is a game that’s big on concept and playfulness, but translating those qualities into something that you interact with as a player fails to cleanly make the jump. Most specifically, the game play isn’t quite there; the mechanics are all fine, but the balance is off in some crucial ways that disrupt the experience and cause the game to get in the way of itself. Stonefly is at its best when its showing off its beautiful artwork and telling its story, and the parts in between where you fight lots of bugs and gather too many resources feel in opposition to that side of the experience rather than in service of it. I still enjoyed a lot of my time with Stonefly, but this feels like an experience that would have benefited from being shorter, and more focused on exploration and its narrative.
We kind of expected the vast exploration of nature through the perspective of insects, but there were more faults than there should have been. While the color and graphics including the combat system were unique, questionable narratives, repeated actions within a narrow space seems to be more stressful than fun. Perhaps a little more thought process could have polished the motivations, which would allow players to sit through the gameplay more thoroughly.
Review in Korean | Read full review