Move over, Pokémon! This new indie game headed for Xbox Game Pass prefers saving creatures instead of fighting with them.
If Palworld’s weapon-toting Pals were too violent for your liking, 11 bit studios' upcoming Creatures of Ava may be for you.
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What you need to know
A brand-new game on the horizon may just be the cozy and wholesome creature-taming experience we’ve been waiting for. Polish developer and publisher11 bit studioshas partnered with Inverge Studios and Chibig on a fresh new “creature saving” adventure titled Creatures of Ava. A trailer officially revealing the game, which was co-created with renowned writer Rhianna Pratchett, was shown off during the MarchXbox Partner Previewshowcase.
The monster-taming genre has no shortage of entries that require players to capture, collect, and ultimately engage in combat with the critters that inhabit those worlds. Monster battles have long been a staple of thePokémonfranchise, andPalworld managed to generate a bit of controversydespite its roaring success because of its use of creatures as workers for player bases.
Instead of pitting adorable critters against one another, Creatures of Ava encourages players to explore the diverse ecosystems of the planet and savor a non-aggressive combat experience. An unknown infection has caused the wildlife to behave uncharacteristically. Taking on the role of 22-year-old adventurer and protagonist, Vic, players are tasked with uncovering the cause of “the withering” while helping the planet and its inhabitants by curing the infection.
The trailer for Creatures of Ava shows Vic exploring the colorful planet and interacting with a multitude of vibrant and unusual creatures with their flute. We also see Vic petting some of the smaller critters, and instructing a bird-like animal to assist in the world by letting down a bridge. Some gameplay elements can also be seen, such as Vic crouching in flowers to get a Pokémon Snap-like photo of one of the animals. We also see Vic visit a bustling village of locals, known as the Naam. Vic also wields a staff for parts of the trailer, which is used to clear the infection from animals, as well as to remove obstacles from pathways.
Creatures of Ava will be available on Xbox Series X|S consoles and Windows 11 PCs in 2024, and it will be available on day one for subscribers of Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
In 2023, 11 bit studios penned a deal with Microsoft to bring more of its gaming portfolio to the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Previously, 11 bit studios' titles This War of Mine and Frostpunk were a part of the service. More recent releases from 11 bit studios' catalog,The InvincibleandThe Thaumaturge, were not included in Game Pass as day one launches. The indie firm has had a notable presence during the March Xbox Partner Preview, however. In addition to revealing Creatures of Ava, 11 bit studios has also revealed that sci-fi adventure The Alters will be coming to Xbox Game Pass and has also revealed a launch date for its anticipated survival management simulator, Frostpunk 2.
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Cole is the resident Call of Duty know-it-all and indie game enthusiast for Windows Central. She’s a lifelong artist with two decades of experience in digital painting, and she will happily talk your ear off about budget pen displays.
