Shelter 2

Game SkinnyStephanie Tang

9/10

A brilliant follow-up to the original Shelter, this game retains the impossible power of showing you just what kind of mother lynx you would be.

NoobFeedDaav Daavpuke

77/100

Short but oh so sweet, Shelter 2 is an experience that is meant to be felt more than it is an endurance test. It has some technical kinks and could be a bit deeper, but the tradeoff in emotional value is more than satisfactory; it’s downright beautiful and not just visually. That isn’t to say that there isn’t any motivation to be found in the survival game, not at all; it’s just that going at it from a merely stoic standpoint would be selling the adventure short. It’d be nearly impossible to stay apathetic at the sound of those adorable whimpers anyway.

I don’t have kids, nor do I plan on having any for a very long time, but something about Shelter brought out my parental instinct to protect children. It was emotional when they were taken away from me – as was it emotional when they grew up and left the nest. It’s a nice touch that they’ve allowed you to look at the family tree, and see the generations that lived before the lynx that you’re currently in control of. It’s just a shame that the gameplay is so generic. It doesn’t take long for one generation cubs to grow up, and so the impact of what happens to them is then diluted…

DestructoidJason Faulkner

3/10

It’s a shame, because Shelter 2 covers a subject matter that isn’t touched on very often. Projecting the human thought process into a role of a creature that lacks the ability to understand what we find so precious without anthropomorphizing it is a tough thing to do. Something went wrong in the design process. For all its flaws and little to no redeeming qualities, I cannot recommend this game. I really wanted to enjoy the adventure of living as a lynx mother, but technical flaws alone have me wary of playing another Might and Delight title. Although the game is only $14.99, the entertainment...

Rock Paper ShotgunPhilippa Warr

Unscored

Shelter had its limitations, but it did at least have a sense of pressure, of predators waiting in the wings. In Shelter 2 I didn't seem to need to do much at all to keep the cubs safe. It freed me up a bit to explore the beautiful landscape but beyond collecting twigs, rocks and the skulls from our meals, and observing occasional seasonal shifts, there wasn't much out there to reward the trip. The family tree idea of playing as successive offspring sounded interesting but the reality left me with a second family identical to the original one except in name.