Armikrog Reviews
In a way Armikrog feels like a tech demo for something much bigger, a showcase of what a final build could look like, with the majority of the character dialogue and story still to be added in. The fantastic claymation and the decent music can only distract so long from the facts that Armikrog feels soulless, lacks any charm, has boring characters, and has puzzles that could have been more interesting. The story of Tzurk and Meva told on the tablets would have made for a much better game.
Many of the puzzles, for instance, are poorly conceived or utterly obtuse, and there's an awful lack of direction that frequently puts a halt to your progression
When I started playing Armikrog I didn't know what to expect, and I've always said that when going into games that I have no knowledge about other than some screenshots, I should expect the unexpected, and I have to admit, that is exactly what I got.
In the end, that is where I stand with Tommynaut and Beak-Beak's adventure. I am torn on it because I absolutely loved some of the things that were done, but also came away with the distinct impression that there simply should have been more.
Developer Pencil Test put so many time making a unique and beautiful game that other parts are a little neglected. Armikrog is a game that gamers can and will love, you just have to live with the few shortcomings.
I was charmed from the start, and that never really changed as Armikrog has heart in its oddness, just the rest seems a bit squandered in its full potential. When I'd rather watch the game more than feel compelled to play it that poses a bit of a problem.
Cut-scenes, visuals and music aside, there's really not much game here, what with the somewhat average puzzle design and lacking rewards to keep on going. I'm happy that Tennapel and the team at Pencil Test were able to get back into the whole clay-mation business, but I can't help but think more could've been done with this.
Armikrog is a point & click game that features remarkable stop motion animation in a world made of clay and with a consistent level design. Despite these points in its favour, Armikrog could make a more extensive use of its characters and rely less on memorizing its puzzles by heart, something which the players will find themselves doing too often thanks to the lack of leads or hints in the game.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Armikrog is often too old-school for its own good, and it's impregnable for those who don't know the genre for all its faults. Those that manage to scratch the surface won't necessarily be rewarded for their efforts, either, with a paper-thin plot and characters that are just too hard to root for. The art style (and opening song) may be enticing, but sadly that's all that this retro-styled point-and-clicker has to offer.
Armikrog is a very short game, its price reflecting its brevity. However, the repeated puzzles are a regrettable misstep, and the spartan sound design woefully undercuts the impressive claymation visuals. The most impactful visuals are frontloaded, leaving no sense of narrative crescendo. Sadly, the game feels like it loses steam much too quickly.