Animality

In ‘Animality’, players control one of twelve unlockable animals—or a seasonal Santa Claus character—to dodge an endless onslaught of creatures by switching between two scrolling paths. Set in a vibrant fantasy arcade environment, the game challenges players to collect life gems for bonus points, unlock new characters using earned currency, and compete for high scores while adapting to increasing speed. With identical gameplay across all characters and optional DLC packs adding more animals, ‘Animality’ focuses on replayability and achievement hunting in its fast-paced, side-view action.

Animality: A Cautionary Tale of Minimalist Arcade Design

Introduction

In the bleak landscape of Steam Early Access shovelware, Animality stands as a grim archetype. Released in 2017 by the unknown developer ColloseusX and published by Phat Phrog Studios, this side-scrolling arcade game promised chaotic fun with anthropomorphic animals but delivered a hollow, repetitive experience. My thesis? Animality represents a perfect storm of creative stagnation—a game where threadbare mechanics, cynical monetization, and total disregard for player engagement coalesce into a masterclass in how not to design a modern indie title. Beneath its colorful veneer lies a case study in squandered potential, where even the inclusion of Santa Claus as DLC feels less like festive cheer and more like a desperate cry for relevance.

Development History & Context

The Studio and Vision

ColloseusX, a phantom entity with no prior credits, positioned Animality as a “fast-paced arcade experience.” The development team—credited only as “Lee” for design and programming—appeared to prioritize quantity over quality, churning out 32 unlockable characters (including Santa Claus via paid DLC) without meaningful differentiation. This lack of ambition suggests a project conceived as asset-flip fodder, exploiting Steam’s lax Early Access oversight.

Technological and Market Constraints

The game’s simplistic 2D side-scrolling design likely stemmed from limited tools and expertise, with Unity’s basic framework enabling rapid, low-effort development. Releasing in February 2017, Animality clashed with titans like Resident Evil 7 and Nier: Automata, dooming it to obscurity. Its $0.55 price point on Steam mirrored the “bargain bin” strategy of countless forgettable indies, seeking profit through volume rather than artistry. The era’s crowded marketplace demanded innovation; Animality offered recycled ideas.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Nonexistent Story, Missed Opportunities

Animality lacks even the pretense of narrative. Absent are character bios, environmental lore, or win/loss conditions—just a sterile loop of dodging and collecting points. Thematically, its animal cast invites comparisons to Sonic or Crash Bandicoot, but here, creatures serve as interchangeable skins with no personality. A squirrel is a retextured bison; a penguin mirrors a dragon. The sole “theme” is an aesthetic clash of zoological randomness, undermining any potential charm.

DLC and the Santa Clause

The addition of Santa Claus as DLC epitomizes the game’s cynicism. Released mid-2017, this “seasonal character” functioned identically to others, highlighting the studio’s reliance on superficial gimmicks over substantive content. Thematically, Santa’s inclusion as paid content—bundled with six other animals—felt less like whimsy and more like a predatory monetization tactic targeting completionists.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Loop: Repetition as Punishment

Animality’s gameplay reduces to two actions:
1. Dodge endlessly spawning enemies by toggling between two horizontal lanes.
2. Collect “life gems” for marginal score boosts.

With no power-ups, environmental hazards, or enemy variety, the experience becomes numbingly repetitive within minutes. “Progression” involves unlocking characters at steep point costs, yet gameplay remains identical across all 24 animals—a baffling design choice that nullifies replay value.

Flawed Systems

• Speed Scaling: Enemies move marginally faster as scores climb, but this “difficulty curve” adds no strategic depth.
• Achievements: Unlocking characters nets Steam achievements, yet these feel unearned given the lack of skill-based challenges.
• UI/UX: A barebones interface—uninspired menus, rudimentary score tracking—reflects minimal effort.

DLC: Paying for Nothing

The two DLC packs (six animals each) epitomize anti-consumer design. Charging players for cosmetic swaps in a $0.55 game reveals contempt for audience trust.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Visual Direction: Stock-Asset Aesthetics

Animality’s 2D sprites clash stylistically: cartoony animals drift against generic, barely animated backgrounds. The “fantasy” setting implies a unified world, but disjointed visuals—a polar bear beside a dragon, Santa in summer—suggest a slapdash asset catalog.

Sound Design: Royalty-Free Indifference

Kevin MacLeod’s contributions—credited via his free music repository Incompetech—feature stock tracks that loop without context. Absent are impactful sound effects; enemy collisions and gem collection emit flat, forgettable bloops. This sonic apathy amplifies the game’s overall numbness.

Reception & Legacy

Critical and Commercial Failure

With a 1.0/5 average player score on MobyGames (based on one damning user review) and no critic coverage, Animality vanished instantly. Its Steam page lists just 23 owners, reflecting abysmal sales. Players lamented:
– “Mindless repetition masquerading as gameplay.”
– “DLC animals are a scam.”

Industry Impact: A Footnote of Caution

Animality’s legacy lies not in innovation but as a warning. It embodies the pitfalls of Steam Early Access—minimal effort titles churned out for quick profit. Its sole influence? Highlighting platform curation flaws, pushing Valve to tighten Greenlight policies by 2018.

Conclusion

Is Animality the worst game ever made? No—but its sin is one of apathy. Every element—from identical characters to MacLeod’s recycled soundtrack—feels like a checklist of indifference. For historians, it’s a relic of Steam’s “shovelware era”; for players, a $0.55 lesson in value. In a medium driven by passion, Animality stands as a hollow puppet of commerce, undeserving of revival but unforgettable as a cautionary tale. Final verdict: A creative void best left extinct.