Review Round-Up: Owlboy is an incredible game, and you should go buy it right now

A week ago today, I had no idea what Owlboy even was. Sure, there are circles of people around the internet that have been following this game for most of the last decade, but for most of the gaming world, this little 2D platformer is (sorry to use the tired cliche) a breath of fresh air. It can seriously stand toe to toe with the other high-ranking AAA games that have come out over the past couple of weeks, and that's not an understatement.

As it stands now, Owlboy sits at an average Metascore of 90, and not a single review has dipped below the "Positive" rankings. On Steam, the game has a 98% positive rating, and you know how ravenous Steam users can be. Here's what others are saying about Owlboy.

Arcade Sushi (10/10)

"Owlboy is an amazing platform experience from top to bottom. From the gameplay to the art to its style of wit and storytelling, Owlboy takes notes from the long history of its genre and combines them into a stellar journey. There are tons of collectibles and secrets in the game that will keep dedicated players coming back to unravel its wealth of extras and lore, but it also allows those who just want to take the journey to enjoy it without penalty."

Destructoid (10/10)

Dang, I could spend forever talking about moments, both little and big, that occur in Owlboy that are just so smart, but it's better just to experience them for yourself. The design of everything from levels, characters, abilities, and mechanics all feels incredible. There's always something new being utilized; rarely will players encounter the same thing multiple times.

IGN (93)

Owlboy often goes the extra mile to rationalize its mechanics in the context of its characters, world, and lore – an effort that brings all of its elements together in a nice, neat package. You can see this most clearly in Owlboy’s distinctive movement and combat.

We Got This Covered (4.5/5)

Owlboy is a true gem. I approached the game hoping for a reasonably charming adventure, and instead got an experience that has a good shot at being my favorite of the year. This reminds me of Shovel Knight in that, if it had ended up released on something like the original PlayStation with its same lovely pixel art and mechanics, it would have gone down as one of the best titles on the system.

Owlboy is available on Steam and GOG.com and is currently running a launch sale that discounts the game to $22.49.