Back in June, I wrote about the demo ofJust Crow Thingsand called it ‘beautiful chaos’. Little did I know that the demo was just a small hint of what is to come when Crowy gets his anticipated full release on August 15.
Of course that’s what demos are for. To metaphorically tickle the taste buds and leave you wanting more.Just Crow Thingsdid a fantastic job at this, and I was over the moon when I was offered the chance to play through the game ahead of its official release. And boy let me tell you, ‘beautiful chaos’ is absolutely the best description you could use forJust Crow Things.
We got off to a rocky start, with my four year old proving that she has a promising future in games testing by breaking the game before we even made it into the tutorial. Lesson learned. After a quick restart and some guidance through the tutorial, we were off on an adventure to help forest critters with their issues, both physical and mental.
Some of the animals need more help than others. I’m not sure what the woodland critter equivalent of CPS is, but Mama Squirrel should probably be reported to them. In almost every level, she’s lost track of her four ‘bebes’ and needs Crowy to snatch them up with his beak and deliver them back to her. It doesn’t matter how many times you do this, she never seems to realize that keeping an eye on them in the first place is probably a better option.
My most joyous moment fromJust Crow Thingscame in the third level past the tutorial, the name of which is simply ‘Camp’, which doesn’t do justice to what awaits you inside. Imagine Camp Crystal Lake, but all the characters are cartoon woodland critters and there are zombies who are attracted to your poop. Oh yes, poop is a huge feature inJust Crow Things, but we’ll gloss over that.
Anyway, in Camp, you’re able to pick up a quest from a Hedgehog which will send you into a direct reference to one of my favorite games of all time — Alan Wake. With a torch clutched precariously in your beak, your task is to take down Taken-esque shadow creatures (and shadow trash) and successfully locate the brother of the Hedgehog who gives you the quest.
And then there’s Stephen, who is a Taken who has been out on an adventure, only to come home and find his house overtaken by shadows. Sadly, after clearing the shadow away from the house, I accidentally shone the torch on Stephen and killed him. Oops.
Outside of my trip down memory lane, there’s a lot to love aboutJust Crow Things, and a lot to get you feeling nostalgic. Level selection is designed in a way which will undoubtedly takes inspiration fromMario, with a series of straight lines connecting each level and a new one unlocking only after you’ve completed a previous one.
You can go back and revisit any favorite levels as many times as you like, which is great for the completionists out there. There’s so much to do in each level, from finding hidden unlockable hats for Crowy, to taking part in time trials, not to mention all of the quests and hidden references you’ll find along the way.
Speaking of hats, there are a total of 45 to be found or unlocked throughout the levels ofJust Crow Things. You’ve got the adorable options, such as the froggy hat, a flower crown, and a rather fetching pair of rabbit ears which don’t look out of place at all on a crow. Then you’ve got the more horror themed choices, like Jason’s mask or a pyramid which can be found in the Ancient Egypt level and will turn you into Pyramid Head.
There’s even some secrets waiting to be found hidden in the Credits, such as the Cardboard skin and Unicorn hat, but I’ve not worked out how to remove the protective barrier from this particular one yet. Presumably this will unlock after I’ve completed the rest of the levels.
I’m still working my way through all of the levels inJust Crow Things, and there’s still a lot for me to find in both unvisited levels and previous ones. Thankfully, previously completed levels retain their progress, allowing you to revisit without having to do everything all over again. Although, if you want to reset this progress and take on quests all over again, there’s an option for that built into each level’s information screen.
Going back to what I said about my four year old at the beginning of this,Just Crow Thingsis perfect for having some bonding time with your kids (provided that you don’t lose track of them like a certain Squirrel). Glossing over the fact that one of the main mechanics is to poop and fart your way around various locations, there is no other vulgarity involved, and playing together opened up discussion about the different animals, as well as helping others and overcoming adversity.
Perhaps that’s looking a little too deep, because let’s face it,Just Crow Thingsis a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously and we definitely shouldn’t either. Sometimes it’s okay to just have fun and laugh, andJust Crow Thingsreminds me of past games such asSimpsons Hit and Run, which focus mostly on causing havoc and enjoying the ride.
