Formless Star
Formless Star is an indie game full of surprises. It takes the form (why are you booing) of a gorgeous technicolour Gameboy game where you, field researcher Anemo, are tasked to find 61 animals on the ever-shifting planet of Formless Star. You do this by exploring a procedurally generated environment, cutting down obstacles and building bridges to move from one landmass to the next. After finding and interacting with the animals you're rewarded with a beautiful sprite animation and some well-written (often very funny) descriptive text.
The animals really are the star of this 2-ish hour adventure. They're wildly varied (helpful when you're trying to remember if you've interacted with one before) and their response to your interaction is always delightful. Some dance, some explode, some even give you a lift around the map. Their design is broadly tied to the biome they're in, but developer Samanthuel Louise Gillson (aka splendidland) does not let this inhibit her virtuosic creativity. I was never not surprised by what I came across, and the shock of discovery kept me eagerly schlepping across the map to find the next little guy.
Formless Star rewards your attention beyond these immediate delights, too. You're joined on the expedition by a crew and they add just the right amount of flavour to the experience, if you've the curiosity to find out more (do not sleep on my boy Vane). This plus a lovely narrative tie-off makes Formless Star a game that does not ask for a lot of your time but doesn't waste a second of it. It's absolutely worth checking out. Better yet, check it out and give splendidland some cash!
