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Brilliance of Blobs: Let's Discuss Ova Magica || Chatsu Shorts
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In this episode of Chatsu Shorts, Satsunami reviews the latest indie creature collector game Ova Magica! Combining JRPG, farming, and creature catching elements, has this game hatched into all it set out to do? What makes it so special? And should you own your own blob?! All this and more in this episode of Chatsu Shorts!
Stardew Valley meets Pokémon! Experience a content-rich JRPG game inspired by the classics! Raise cute blob creatures, take care of your farm and make friends with the people of Clover Town.
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Transcript
00:00:05
Speaker
Welcome to Chad Tsunami.
00:00:16
Speaker
The creature collecting genre of gaming is one that has always fascinated me growing up after the success of Pokemon in the 90s. I feel like at that time many companies tried their best to replicate the lightning in a bottle effect it had created, and while some some did indeed break through and carve their own niche in the market, it's hard to shrug off being compared to such an iconic franchise. I even spoke about this last year in our Pokémon Month when I talked about the game Cassette Beast, which made it such an impact on my gaming life that it led me to seek out other games of the genre.
00:00:51
Speaker
Admittedly, I'm old enough to remember when most RPGs of the 2010s were referred to as just Skyrim but with this or that. and unfortunately, this genre has its own issues of being shackled to the biggest multimedia franchise of all time.
00:01:06
Speaker
Nevertheless, it has led me down a path of exploration, with seeking creativity in the wider world of indie creature collectors, from the aforementioned cassette piece to the surprisingly fun Temtem, at least during its release. But one game that caught my eye floating around social media last year was the newly released Kickstarter game called Ova Magica, published by Top Hat Studios and developed by Skinny Frog and Claudia the Dev. What intrigued me the most were the colourful visuals that showed off a chibi character running around a quaint rural town with some blob-like creatures called, well, blobs, engaged in a range of activities from battling to cultivating a farm. After reaching out to Claudia the Dev on Twitter, who I must admit is an and incredibly nice person, I was lucky enough to receive a free copy of the game to review. But before I dive into what makes this game so compelling, I have a confession to make. Usually when I'm given an indie game to review, I manage to get a feel for what they are like within a couple of hours, and then I base my review on that.
00:02:09
Speaker
However, Ova Magica left me with a looming sense that there was far more underneath its cutesy veneer, and in order to represent it fully in this review, I would have to dig deeper into it. Unfortunately, due to real-life commitments, as well as the podcast schedule, I find myself constantly pushing this game back, until one day i bit the blob and decided to hop on a train to Clovertown.
00:02:32
Speaker
and what I found surprised me in all the right ways. But why did Ova Magica leave such an impression on me? What makes this game stand out amongst other creature collector games I've tried in the past? And was it worth the wait to play this game?
00:02:46
Speaker
Well, after playing over 60 hours of this game, I can safely say it absolutely is. Without any further ado, grab your nearest farming tools as we dive into the world of Ova Magica. I should point out before we begin this episode of Chatsu Shorts that the game itself is still in early access, but should hopefully be releasing the full game soon, but within the next few months.
00:03:08
Speaker
No doubt I'll be returning again to review this game once it's fully out, but I thought it would be best to highlight that. The game begins with your character travelling to the idyllic culvertown, where you receive a message from your mother who informs you that you have received the family farm. Neat!
00:03:23
Speaker
Maybe it was a train ride at the beginning, but i immediately got Animal Crossing vibes from the whole situation, and I mean that in all the best ways. Thankfully though, there are no tanookis threatening to break your kneecaps over interest-free mortgages waiting for you at the other end. least not yet anyway.
00:03:40
Speaker
All joking aside, The developers themselves have stated that their inspiration derived from games such as the previously mentioned Pokémon as well as Stardew Valley, and it definitely shows.
00:03:51
Speaker
As soon as you jump off the train, you are introduced to blobs, which serve as the game's creatures that you can collect, battle, and aid in turning your ramshackle farm into its former glory. In the tale as old as time for these types of games, you have to work your way up from your rustic roots and empty pockets to establish yourself as a pillar of the Clovertown community throughout the three distinct seasons of Solas, Cerces, and Fridges.
00:04:17
Speaker
I just want to gush about this for a second, as each season alters the aesthetic of the town, and in turn affects a variety of things, from accessible areas to what type of crops you can grow. It was a cool surprise seeing the lakes frozen over in Fridges, leading to a brand new section, or seeing vibrant oranges take centre stage during the autumn-inspired services. It just gives the town that much more character, which is fantastic to see. Admittedly, these types of games always remind me of that one joke in The Simpsons, where Bart complains about having to do yard work, yet when given the chance, begs to play a virtual reality game called Yardwork Simulator. As someone who is often battling his own garden constantly, i can relate, as it felt somewhat overwhelming starting from relatively nothing in this game.
00:05:07
Speaker
While you have your own stamina meter at the beginning, which is a great addition for not totally levelling all the trees in Clovertown with one swing. It can be tough getting over that initial tedium of running out of stamina so fast at the start. A lot of the early game can be a struggle to push through at times, as it feels like constant repetition for minimum reward.
00:05:29
Speaker
This however is not something limited to Ova Magica, nor is it a criticism. After all, if you play something like Animal Crossing and you get everything handed to you at once, then it would make you less interested in striving for more. This encourages you to talk to the denizens of Clovertown, and not only start to accumulate better resources, but also forge unforgettable relationships.
00:05:52
Speaker
But I have to say, I initially wasn't sure about the majority of the characters, as they all exhibited well-known tropes. For example, you had the cold as ice ice blob champion who wouldn't give you the time of day, the hot-headed rookie desperate to beat everyone up in battle, the snooty shop owner who constantly looked down his nose at you, and even the too-cool-for-school steam boarder. However, i think this goes to show how expertly this game handles its characters, as when you get to know them more, you peel away the surface of their characters and learn what's actually going on in their lives.
00:06:29
Speaker
There's one particular character who, without spoiling too much, strives to be a chef but is constantly berated by his boss. Let me tell you that when the opportunity arose to beat his boss in a battle, you better believe that I never missed an opportunity to do so. To evoke such a reaction from me to care about a character like this was nothing short of great writing.
00:06:51
Speaker
another example is with a young woman who is housebound due to an illness leading to some rather heart-tugging moments. Heck, even the store owner who I mentioned before has a moment that, quite frankly, blindsided me and led me to appreciate him that much more. Don't let the cutesy aesthetic fool you. There are some genuinely hard-hitting storylines that will lead you to ponder them silently while dramatically staring out of a window on a rainy day.
00:07:18
Speaker
Or maybe that's just me. The same dedication can be applied to the relationship that you have with your blobs. What's really cool is that I feel that they are an extension of the player character, as they follow you around the world, keeping you company in your journey. Not only can you pet them, which to me is a 10 out of 10 feature, but they also can help you in the farm, depending on their ability, from producing resources to helping you grow your farm.
00:07:43
Speaker
They never felt like a tacked-on feature, but instead a core part of what makes this game so special. What's even cooler is the rightfully bragged-about feature that you can crossbreed them to make a crazy amount of combinations, leading to stronger blobs.
00:07:59
Speaker
Plus, as podcasting's number one advocate of red pandas, you better believe that any game that has a red panda creature in it automatically gets my approval. The only minor negative I think I had with the blobs was the battling, which I found took a while out to get used to. While certainly different enough, I felt like there was a massive difficulty curve at the beginning, and it wasn't until I was deep into the game that I realised there was an easy difficulty option that made things slightly more bearable. I also didn't realise that feeding them certain things would increase their HP and energy levels per day, but that's more of a skill issue on my end, rather than a fault with the game itself.
00:08:39
Speaker
Learning the mechanics of battling is a must, as there are some parts of the game that are difficult or near impossible to get through without having a solid team. If anything, I really love the future of being able to take care of my blobs, as it made me feel like they were actual companions, as opposed to just being limited to battles.
00:08:57
Speaker
It felt nice being able to experience the journey neighbour with them as well, and share in the victories along the way. The only other minor gripe for this is that if you're focused on trying to be the best at battling like no one ever was, as fast as possible, then Unfortunately, you may have to replace certain blobs with ones that are stronger and will get you through some of the tougher areas, such as the blob worlds, which serve as somewhat boss fights that reward you well for completing them, much like the rest of the game.
00:09:27
Speaker
Once you get better blobs and tools, then it makes things so much easier, but it also takes a while to get to that point. That is something that is a strength of this game. There's a lot of games out there nowadays that reward you right off the bat, making the achievements you receive a bit lacklustre in comparison.
00:09:45
Speaker
and It reminds me of those older games where if you used a money glitch or god mode, then it would make working for anything just dull. And while I think there has to be a balance between grinding and having fun, Ova Magica does this fairly well.
00:09:59
Speaker
What I'm most surprised at is how the developers actually take feedback to heart and strive to balance the issues raised, which is brilliant to see. What I will say, as dramatic as this may sound, is that initially I didn't know what to think of Ova Magica as a game, but the more I invested myself and put in the hard work, the more I honestly loved up The soundtrack was soothing, the vibes of the town were cosy, and every day would lead to something different, whether it be exploring the mines, talking to the townsfolk, or even battling. would always find something different.
00:10:32
Speaker
So between fishing, battling, farming and exploration, does Ova Magica deserve to stand high on the pantheon of indie creature collector games? Absolutely. This game is a testimony to why I fell in love with the genre as a whole. Believe me when I say that I've lost so many hours to this game, and that is not an easy thing for me to do these days. One moment I was checking on my blobs in the morning, and the next I was knee-deep in the proverbial trenches, fighting off a massive blob in the shape of a bomb. Trust me, it makes sense in context.
00:11:04
Speaker
This is not just a regular farming simulator. This game actively pulls you in and tries to make you a part of the community, with various seasonal events and friendship quests that are more than just window dressing. And while the town does have many NPCs, your ability to choose to battle them makes you all the more curious about how you can better yourself within this world.
00:11:26
Speaker
One thing I also failed to mention earlier is the inclusivity of the character creation screen, which, while giving you a male or female option, doesn't limit that character to one particular gender amongst all the other inclusive choices that you get to play around with.
00:11:41
Speaker
It wasn't necessary to do this, and yet they did it anyway, so good on them for that. Absolutely fantastic decision. On reflection, I realise that this game may not be everybody's cup of tea, from its chibi characters to the perceived busy work that you have to constantly do. Yeah, I can definitely see why some might not appreciate it.
00:12:01
Speaker
However, that does not make the game any lesser than what it is You can tell the passion that Claudia and the rest of the team have poured into this game. Much like the character we play as, you're thrust into a new world, unsure of what to expect. But as you ease yourself into the world of Ova Magica, you find your place.
00:12:20
Speaker
And that to me is such an important thing. I am genuinely excited to see the future of this game once it leaves Early Access. And as I said, I cannot wait to return to review the full game, with spoilers and all. So if you're a fan of creature collector games, as well as farming sims, then this is one game you do not want to miss out on.
00:12:39
Speaker
But what did you think of Ova Magica? Did it hatch into everything you ever wanted? are you still working your way through that farm? Be sure to reach out and let us know. But as always, thank you all so so much for listening to this episode of Chatsu Shorts.
00:12:53
Speaker
If you want to listen to more episodes from ourselves, then you can check us out on our website, Chatsunami.com, as well as all good podcast apps. I also want to thank our amazing Pandalorian patrons, Robotic Battletoaster, Sonya, Ghosty, and Cryptic1991. Thank you all so, so much for supporting the show. And if you would like early access to episodes, exclusive content, as well as a wide range of absolutely fantastic extra content, then you can check us out on our Patreon page, patreon.com forward slash chattsunami.
00:13:24
Speaker
This podcast is a proud member of the Podpat Collective. For further information, check us out at Twitter slash X handle, Podpat Collect. But until next time, stay safe, stay awesome, and most importantly, stay hydrated.