Imagine, you’re a young ginger boy named Quill lost in an avian world entitled “Eagle Island” with nothing but your trust owl companion named Koji. You no longer have to imagine such an adventure because you can live this fantasy via Nick Gregory’s “Eagle Island”. This pixellated adventure platformer combines cunning finger work as well as precision aiming to bring players into a new dimension of 2D gaming. The premise behind “Eagle Island” is to help Koji find his brother Ichiro and free him from the evil villainess Armaura whom happens to be an eagle. While playing the demo, which you can find on the “Eagle Island” Steam page, I found myself mesmerized by the playful flute playing in the background. The music helped me stay composed as I carefully glided from one platform to the next. The scenery is reminiscent of Nintendo’s Yoshi’s Story in which the terrain is carved and frames the playful pixellated scenery behind it. As I traversed through the vast labyrinth that is “Eagle Island” I came across several types of terrain including a vast forest, a damp cave, and a scorching desert. I found myself favoring the forest portion of the map due in part to the uplifting ambiance. As I navigated through the demo I found the controls to be user-friendly so gamers of all ability levels would be embraced. In many games of this nature I have found that you can’t attack and jump at the same time however, “Eagle Island” is different. Not only can one choose different owl ammo midair but one can also throw their partner in crime. In this adventure Quill throws his beloved friend Koji at his enemies. I must say I was thrilled at the idea of throwing owls at evil mushrooms and deadly plants similar to that of a venus flytrap. There is something oddly satisfying about watching Koji zoom through the air and hit a mushroom dead on. “Eagle Island” is PETA’s worst nightmare, but a dream come true for adventurers everywhere. Overall, Nick Gregory has created a sensational 2D platformer that gamers will flock to.
The featured image can be found on the Eagle Island Steam page.
