Sheepy: A Brief Journey is the primary independently made sport by developer Thomas Lean, in any other case often called MrSuicideSheep. It’s an lovely, darkish platformer that’s greater than it appears to be at first look and retains me going again for extra.

In case you haven’t heard of MrSuicideSheep prior to now, he’s a music creator with 12.8 million subscribers on YouTube. With the discharge of Sheepy: A Brief Journey, he’s branched into a brand new fashion of creativity. In response to the critiques on Steam, which at the moment sit at ‘Very Good’, he’s confirmed to be greater than only a music creator with this transfer. 

In response to the sport’s official web site, the sport and its a number of zones have been influenced by the neighborhood that MrSuicideSheep has constructed up over the past ten years whereas additionally taking affect from video games akin to Little Nightmares, Celeste, and Shadow of the Colossus. 

Set within the sewers beneath a metropolis, you play as a misplaced Sheep plushie who has come to life and thru exploration, you uncover that every one is probably not because it appears. The pixelated artwork fashion coupled with the darkish undertones of the sport’s story make for an odd but great juxtaposition, whereas the gameplay itself affords simply sufficient problem to maintain issues fascinating. 

As you play, you unlock new expertise which let you journey quicker and even fly, for frustratingly quick intervals of time, with the intention to navigate the a number of completely different distinctive zones of the sport. Every new zone will get progressively darker in its theme and by interacting with Cassette Recordings left behind by earlier explorers or employees at Belgin Industries, you be taught extra about what precisely occurred on this place. 

There’s collectibles to be discovered, too. Unfold throughout the completely different zones, there are 5 Vinyls to seek out (I managed to seek out two of them), hidden in secret areas that you just gained’t know are there till you by chance slip into them. I managed to seek out two of them. There are elevators which want a number of levers to be pulled with the intention to use them (I missed a variety of levers) and hidden, lore-expanding texts which can be ready to be discovered.

I can’t write this and never point out Patches, the misplaced bear plushie who acts as your important enemy through the sport. He’s the foe you must defeat throughout notably rage-inducing boss battles, although he serves a better objective which I gained’t go into. Some issues it’s worthwhile to witness for your self. 

One small included characteristic that I notably liked was that if you skip a cutscene (don’t fear, I’d seen it 5 occasions already), a VHS fast-forward impact happens. It’s a really small contact which may by no means be seen, however it’s so nostalgic that I couldn’t assist however smile each time, even when the sport gave me an achievement known as “It’s a Onerous One” that carried the subtext “You are able to do it!” as a result of I’d died too many occasions.

Let me be clear; after I describe this sport as infuriating, that’s not via any fault within the sport. There’s nothing that pushes all of my gamer rage buttons fairly like a platformer, particularly after I’m enjoying mentioned platformer on a keyboard when it was particularly designed for a gamepad. Nevertheless, is it attainable to play Sheepy on a keyboard? Completely sure, simply be prepared for some infuriating moments when your fingers don’t fairly wish to cooperate and even essentially the most fundamental of actions turns into a difficulty. Or possibly that’s only a me downside. 

Sheepy: A Brief Journey launched on Steam on February 6 2024. It’s free to play and whereas, sure, it could be quick, there are a variety of issues that you just possible gained’t handle to do in your first playthrough, so there’s a heap of replayability there. I can’t wait to dive again in… as quickly because the gamepad I’ve ordered arrives.