Shelter 2

A captivating and beautiful take on the survival game genre, Shelter 2 is one of the most artistically impressive games we’ve ever seen. In this game, players will get to see what it’s like to be a predator and endure the hardships of nature as they try to stay alive in an unforgiving world.

What could very well be defined as a lynx simulator offers some interesting concepts at first glance. However, does this game manage to reach the same levels of complexity and narrative tension as its prequel? Let’s find out.

Cruel Nature

The first Shelter game had players trying to survive as a badger mother, Shelter 2 shows us nature’s other side of the coin. As a lynx mother, players will get to see that even predators have to do everything they can to survive.

Enduring harsh climates and hunting for food is just the beginning of what it must be done to survive in nature as a lynx. Due to the lynx’s small frame, some bigger hunters will no doubt be at the ready to have you as their lunch.

While the first game had a much more linear narrative, Shelter 2 goes for the open-world approach. Open-world survival games are great – just look at the popularity of games like Minecraft, for example – but here, the lack of a clear direction dilutes the overall plot of a mother lynx caring for her cubs.

Done with Minimalism

If there’s something that the first Shelter game got right, it was its approach to storytelling. The plot of a badger taking care of her cubs was explored through the eyes of an animal, with no words and minimal shapes to represent what everything in the world means.

Shelter 2, on the other hand, tries to one-up its prequel with the inclusion of a more traditional narrative. However, including text that describes the difficulties of living in the tundra somehow defeats the purpose of having a game that’s told from the animal’s point of view.

Another difference that comes with the open world is that objectives and tasks tend to repeat themselves quite often. Sure, the life of a predatory animal might not be as fun as it might sound from a narrative standpoint, but considering that the game is only like an hour and a half, the repetitiveness can get old fairly quickly.

Art in Motion

All is not lost for Shelter 2, especially when it comes to visuals. The game retains its predecessor’s stylish look, giving it a unique look that makes it stand out in a sea of similar-looking survival games.

The lynx themselves, especially the little cubs, look adorable, and their animations are varied and look very natural. Considering that you’ll be spending almost the whole game looking at these animals, it’s a relief to see that they look as great as they do. The breathtaking landscapes are also a sight to behold: each of them looking like they came straight from a painting.

Pros:

• Beautiful visuals
• Enormous landscapes to explore
• Tons of collectibles

Cons:

• Repetitive gameplay
• Uninteresting narrative
• Tedious gameplay loop