Xbox Game Pass’ Creatures of Ava avoids capturing or battling animals to focus on empathy
“Making the exploration of Ava super satisfying was our ultimate goal,” says Martínez
Creatures of Ava has an interesting and unique take as a creature-saver game. Unlike other animal-focused games, it’s not about battling or using creatures, but about embracing your empathy and removing yourself from a “human-centric” attitude. “We believe that it is always a good time to care about the animals and nature around us,” Martínez says. “However, despite our best intentions, we sometimes make mistakes, given our human-centric point of view. After noticing that most video games involving animals focus on capturing them, making them fight, or using them for personal gain, we wanted to create a game where the primary motivation for helping animals is empathy. This reflects how it should be in real life — caring for animals out of compassion rather than for selfish purposes.”
Our goal is to save the creatures, and all the inhabitants, of planet Ava from a strange, corrupting disease called the Withering. “Creatures of Ava originates from the core vision of creating a game where rescuing animals is the central theme,” Martínez begins. “After exploring the planet, humans discover that an infection is spreading. In response, a small rescue team is dispatched to save the various species inhabiting the planet. Vic and Tabitha are chosen for this mission, but from the moment they arrive, things start to go awry. They must improvise, adapt, and most importantly, strive to understand what is truly happening on planet Ava and how they can help the natives and creatures living there.” As we set out to confront the ever-strengthening Withering, our adventures will be “filled with petting adorable creatures, herding them to rescue zones, and solving intricate puzzles using their unique abilities.”
We play as adventurer Vic, while Tabitha is the team’s researcher. Along with the creatures on planet Ava, we’ll also meet the current inhabitants of Ava, the Naam. “In the past, there were other species, but you will discover more about them as you progress through the story,” Martínez says. “The Naam are calm and wise, and our arrival on the planet does not please them because previous human expeditions did not treat them well. Moreover, the Naam are reluctant to leave the planet due to their beliefs and traditions. Part of our mission will be to convince them to leave with us before it is too late. The Naam will play an essential role in our adventure, and one of them, Nim’ar, who has a different perspective from the rest, will accompany us throughout Ava to help with our mission.”
Along with exploration, a big part of the game is utilizing a special flute to bond with and befriend Ava’s creatures and healing them of the infection with a special staff. “We didn’t want players to confront the creatures without reason or cause them harm. Therefore, the infection that spreads on Ava also affects the creatures, making them rabid and dangerous,” Martínez says. “With our staff, players can absorb this infection without harming the creatures and rescue them from Ava on the brink of cataclysm. Additionally, we can interact with the creatures using a flute given to us by the planet’s natives. By playing notes that mimic the sounds the creatures make, we can earn their trust. Playing the song of the region allows us to shepherd them to Pikmin-style rescue zones.”
However, there’s an even more interesting twist on how these animal friends can help us solve puzzles and progress further. “We can also see through their eyes to use certain abilities, such as breaking a barrier with the headbutt of an Ura,” Martínez explains. “We will encounter different types of puzzles during our gameplay, but the main ones involve the creatures… we need to use their abilities to interact with the environment. Each creature has specific interactions, so we must utilize each species correctly to reach various areas. For example, Huhus can climb small branches, Krajs can navigate hidden nests, Uras can break barriers, and Yekembos can knock down columns. But I don’t want to spoil anything!”
These abilities will come in useful particularly when considering how varied the planet of Ava is. “The four ecosystems in Ava will be completely distinct from one another. In addition to visual differences, each ecosystem will feature unique game mechanics and creatures with characteristics specific to their environments. For example, the swamp will have large poisonous lakes and a species of giant mosquitoes called Shum, whose bite is extremely venomous. Carrying antidotes against poison will be essential when exploring the Mâruba swamp.”
Befriending creatures rather than capturing them, and seeing through their eyes, were two things which really stood out when Creatures of Ava was announced, but so too did its gorgeous and vibrantly colorful art style. “Throughout the development of Ava, we explored both more cartoonish and realistic art styles but ultimately decided to settle somewhere in between, which is the version of Ava you see today,” Martínez explains. “This art style allows us to create unique and interesting creatures, varied and beautiful alien ecosystems, and tell a story with an important message without needing to be overly realistic.”
Creatures of Ava launches into Xbox Game Pass on August 7. If you’re interested in reading more, check out our interview about the Creatures of Ava Xbox achievements!
