Some of the most sumptuous pixel art the genre has seen, in service of a melancholy tale about friendship. Carrying your companions to solve puzzles makes for a touching duo, even if the platforming sometimes lacks bite. A small handcrafted marvel.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player7+
Description
Otus, a young mute owl, flies from rescue to rescue to save his island world from pirates. Published by D-Pad Studio, released worldwide in 2018. Free flight, allies to carry and use to clear obstacles, a touching story and exquisitely fine pixel art.
Owlboy review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Pixel art of insane meticulousness, the fruit of nearly a decade's work: richly detailed sprites, expressive animation and parallax backdrops of dizzying depth. This 16-bit craftsmanship taken to the extreme remains a benchmark of the modern retro genre.
Jonathan Geer wraps this pixel-art tale in an orchestral score of rare tenderness, where flutes, strings and piano carry the flight of its mute heroes. The themes, melancholy then soaring, give a voice to what goes unspoken. That melodic finesse turns every glide through the sky into a moment of pure grace.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Carrying your companions to combine their powers structures a whole aerial exploration, where most platformers stick to the ground. The rare finesse of the pixel art gives weight to every move and puzzle. The platforming can lack bite and the story takes its time, but this marriage of flight and mutual aid stays touching and still pleasant to play today.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Carrying a flying friend on your shoulder to launch, catch and glide from islet to islet sets up a unique, delightful duo. The sky becomes a playground, aerial exploration rewards curiosity, and every chiseled pixel-art tableau dazzles. The tenderness of the story and the smoothness of flight blend into a charming adventure you leave only with reluctance.
Taking on its guardians means weaving flight, dashes and carried allies into one fluid rhythm, each fight demanding sharp pattern reading and pinpoint positioning. Vertical arenas, swelling music and expressive pixel art turn these clashes into intensity spikes that punctuate a soaring, heartfelt journey.
An underrated gem
Nearly a decade in the making for a platformer, yet the result is a joy even if you know nothing of its troubled history. Otus's free flight, the allies you carry and fire off to clear obstacles, set a rhythm all its own. Released into the indifference of a platformer-glutted market, it hides a surprisingly moving story and chiseled pixel art that will delight fans of handcrafted, labor-of-love games.
Is Owlboy still worth playing in 2026?
Owlboy took nearly a decade to make, and that care shows in every screen. Its pixel art, among the most detailed ever produced, hasn't aged an inch and remains a visual benchmark. The idea of carrying allies to combine their powers gives the flight and exploration an original shape. The pacing sometimes hesitates and the story takes its time, yet the emotion eventually lands true. For lovers of auteur platformers and meticulous craft, it is a work still worth discovering today.
