Giraffe and Annika Reviews
At the end of the day, the gameplay isn't likely to compel you to spend the 5-10 hours needed to see the story through. Everything this game does is done better elsewhere, so dive back into the bottomless eShop sea and fish up another adventure. This Giraffe is better left on safari.
Giraffe and Annika is a light game, a fairy tale with a clean manga aesthetic and full of subtleties. With too simplified environments and very simple mechanics for an exploration adventure, it brings its most original point a rhythmic system in the battle against bosses, although it appropriates many things that we have seen before. With all this, it is a pleasant and relaxing experience for all ages.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Giraffe and Annika is the first outing for Atelier Mimina, and as a statement of intent, it shows us a developer that we should be paying attention to.
Giraffe and Annika is clearly meant for gamers much younger than I but there were still some enjoyable parts to it for me.
Giraffe and Annika is not a good game, which is a sad thing, as it feels like there is something missing. It's very rough, and is reminiscent it is one of those Unreal Engine 4 demos made by students. There are some redeeming qualities, like the charming character design, and a unique battle system for bosses, but it's so overshadowed by technical bizarreness and a lack of cohesive feeling that it's simply impossible to recommend to anyone but the biggest fans of Annika's design.
Giraffe and Annika is a rhythm adventure game that is short on rhythm, and too heavy on the tedious portions of the adventure. Still, Giraffe and Annika manages to make the most of this title, with beautiful manga inspired panels, enjoyable dialog, and a very fun rhythmic battles, even if they are in short supply.
Giraffe and Annika manages to show a couple of good ideas, but doesn't excel in anything.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It is a refreshing take on an adventure and rhythm game and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to.
Giraffe and Annika is meant for less experienced and younger gamers and does a good job of presenting a world for them to explore. There might not be much to see or challenges to overcome, besides some control issues, making it easy to understand its place. The cute story and vibrant visuals also make it easy to enjoy the simple charms, even if the rhythm sections are a bit on the rough side. While I wouldn't say this is a grand slam of a children's game, it's has enough redeeming aspects to play through it.
It's a little ramshackle, but care and craft has gone into the making of Giraffe and Annika. There's nothing new here to speak of, but its disparate genres work well together and we had a good time unravelling the mysteries of Spica Island. A great game for kids and the young at heart, we're excited to see what developers Atelier Mimina do next.
Like the rest of the experiences found on Spica Island, these rhythm battles can best be described as quaint. And while that term may not be the one publishers race to add to an accolades trailer, I hope the developers see it as the compliment I intend it to be. Because this is not the most engrossing game I'll play in 2020 or one I'll even remember six months from now. But the congenial nature of Giraffe and Annika was enough to be a welcoming, brief respite from an otherwise weary world.