
Climb, craft, and be a cute little critter
by Cass Marshall
If you happen to purchase one thing from a Polygon hyperlink, Vox Media could earn a fee. See our ethics statement.
Numerous video games allow you to play as a traditional, bipedal individual; far fewer video games allow you to play as a critter. Stray and Little Kitty, Large Metropolis have each made strides in lovable animal protagonists, however an upcoming indie recreation makes the formidable selection of placing you within the furry, greedy toes of the standard squirrel. Squirreled Away is an enthralling, colourful crafting platformer that removes the stresses of the survival style in favor of the straightforward pleasure of washing your little paws, climbing a tree, and chatting along with your neighbors.
Whereas Squirreled Away has the trimmings of the survival style, in that you could accumulate supplies and construct a house, there aren’t any risks or stresses — besides maybe for an irritable pitbull. As a substitute, the problem is available in platforming and parkouring throughout timber, gathering the sources you want for the proper little treetop residence. Developer Far Seas calls it a “craft-and-thrive” journey, and that’s a enjoyable twist on a really saturated style.
Our squirrel protagonist isn’t simply increase their residence solo; they’ve an assortment of lovable animal pals, providing their very own tales and quests. I chatted with another squirrels, befriended a turtle, and had a well mannered chat with a seagull. Squirreled Away matches into the comfy style; each side of the sport is fastidiously crafted to invoke consolation and enchantment.
There’s additionally the choice for co-op play, which permits a bunch of 4 squirrels to construct their very own woodland empire.
When you’re enjoying as a bit of squirrel, the builders have made some accuracy concessions to offer for a greater exploration expertise. For example, I’m fairly positive squirrels aren’t able to business, however this little man has discovered easy methods to craft tiny instruments. These develop into extra elaborate as the sport progresses, together with a set of wings that permits you to glide from treetop to treetop in model.
Right now, a demo for Squirreled Away is available on Steam, so gamers have the prospect to tour the sport. There isn’t any launch date but, however I’ll be maintaining a tally of this title. I’ve grown bored with chopping down timber and smashing rocks for fundamental constructing provides in different video games, which all ask me to play as a bipedal individual with thumbs. Attending to be a fast little squirrel is a novel expertise, and I loved the prospect to scale some timber and nibble upon an acorn.
The perfect of Polygon in your inbox, each Friday.
© 2025 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved