Developer: Might and Delight
Publisher: Might and Delight
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Twinkleby – Review
For those who enjoy cozy games such as ‘Animal Crossing’ or ‘The Sims’, there is now also Twinkleby to add to the list. A game published by Might and Delight, which certainly put an emphasis on the latter when creating this game. Let’s take a deeper dive into this game and see just how pleasant a game can get.
Story
There isn’t necessarily much of a story present in Twinkleby, but it isn’t exactly necessary either. You arrive on a floating remote island in the sky, where you are greeted by Molligan, who runs an antique shop. She tells you that right now her little shop is closed however but sets you off to your first island to decorate. Once there, the main gameplay begins, and the ‘story’ comes to an end as you are left to simply enjoy the game on your own terms. Given the style this game is going for, there is little reason to make this a story-driven item, as you are clearly meant to simply take a break from everything and enjoy decorating your little islands to please the simplistic needs of visitors who wish to live on these islands.
Graphics
Twinkleby goes for a soft and cute style where nothing is overly detailed, and everything is easy on the eyes. It makes it quite clear that they’re aiming for a low-stimulus environment, as only your island and the HUD are visible on your screen. The background of your island is a simple blue sky with stars. Despite the simplistic art style of the game, it is still quite detailed. Water flows and shimmers, furniture has shade depending on where you place it down and visitors still have readable facial expressions.
Sound
During your gameplay, you are met with a few calm and simple tunes to help you get in that perfect mood to sit back and click away. There isn’t really a major soundtrack, and it gets a tad repetitive quickly, depending on how long you spend on your island. The map and your islands share the same tune, albeit the map has a more toned-down version. Mulligan’s shop, however, has her own little theme which makes shopping for furniture all the more pleasant.
Aside from the music though, there are soft ambient sounds, depending on what furniture has been placed down. The river flows if you get close enough, your visitors’ footsteps tapping around, or even a grandfather clock ticking away or indicating a new hour has passed. These little things make the game feel very much alive and encourage you to place more items as well.
Gameplay
The gameplay in Twinkleby is very straightforward. It is essentially a decorating game where you need to appeal to the wishes of little characters called ‘visitors’. These are cute-looking humans who come to move in on your island, and each has a simple want. For example, one would like a neighbor to talk to, whilst another wishes to have a tree to sit under. These wants challenge the player to decorate accordingly, though you can simply kick the visitor off your island if it doesn’t align with your own vision. Once the wants of your visitors are fulfilled, they will sing you a cute little song and reward you generously with various resources.
For players who are familiar with decorating games, the controls are nothing new. You move the camera around with your typical WASD keys and drag-and-drop furniture on the spot you wish to place it on. A neat little thing the developers added was a blue indicator as to where you’ll be placing your item, so you can tell if it’s in the right spot or not. After placement, you can still rotate and remove or replace your item, so nothing is permanent.
To acquire furniture or progress to a new island, the player needs to collect “Stellars”, which are little stars that jump out of furniture or simply fall from the sky. This makes it so that players can’t rush through the game and are encouraged to take their time in the decorating process. Once you have collected some Stellars, the player can return to Mulligan’s store and buy even more items to place down on their island.
Conclusion
Twinkleby is a game that really fits the ‘cozy’ theme and is ideal for those who enjoy casual gameplay as well as decorating games. The music, artstyle, and simple goals all combine to create a relaxing environment for players who seek to wind down or decompress after a busy day. If you prefer a story-driven or fast-paced game, you might reconsider getting Twinkleby, as it is meant to be enjoyed at a much slower tempo. It is simply a calm and easy pastime for casual gamers or those who wish to hang loose.
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