Game: Flutter Away
Genre: Adventure, Simulation, Casual
System: Nintendo Switch (Also on Steam (Windows and Mac))
Developer | Publisher: Runaway Play
Age Rating: US Everyone | EU 3+
Price: US $12.99 | UK £10.99 | EU € 12,99
Release Date: August 3rd, 2023
Review code used, with many thanks to Stride PR.
Created by New Zealand based Runaway Play, Flutter Away is an exploration game set in the Amazon rainforest. The developers are inspired by the natural world and create games to promote both awareness and conservation.
Will I be floating like a butterfly, or avoiding all the bugs?
Fluttering Away For Just 5 Days
The in-game tutorial guides you through the start of the story and explains the controls. In Flutter Away you have 5 days and nights to explore and document the flora and fauna of the rainforest.
Your journal is the focus of your exploration and adventure. Each day, you need to find, photograph, examine and document 3 new species of butterfly or moth. In addition, there are 4 daytime tasks, and then 4 nighttime tasks. The passing of time is controlled by the journal’s to do list. So it will not become night, until you have completed the daytime tasks.
You need to photograph your findings, whether it be butterflies, plants, animals or even scenery. The camera is easy to use, and the controls are always on-screen. Then, you need to get a closer look at the butterflies and moths. This is done by encouraging the insect onto the perch. The close up graphics are awesome and, as far as I could research, very realistic.
When you discover something new, the journal will notify you. You can then read about your discovery and make new observations.
Once you have completed all your tasks, you are able to ‘go to sleep’ and the next day will start.
I’ll leave you to discover the story behind the capybara!
The Delights of Flutter Away
It helps to do the tasks in order, but if you are struggling to complete one, look for the rays of light. These will point out the next discovery and are a great built-in help. However, they don’t give away all of the secrets, so remember to look around carefully and scan the area with your camera.
The butterfly and moth graphics are truly delightful and the drawings in the journal are charming.
Another great feature is the ability to change your observation photographs. Initially, there is a sense of urgency just to take a photo. However, as you progress you realise that you have as much time as you like. So why not spend a little time in getting a better picture.
The soundtrack is amazing. As you load Flutter Away, there is an on-screen message suggesting that you play with the sound on. And I agree, the buzz and hum help transport you to the rainforest. However, on day 4 there is a storm and the crack of thunder certainly made me jump!
There are achievements, but they only appear at the end of the game. In my playthroughs, I only completed half of them. The missing ones remain a mystery, as there is no explanation for them.
Gameplay
The in-game tutorials explain the controls very well and they are intuitive. The game autosaves and you can return to the main menu at any point.
Flutter Away plays well in both handheld and docked mode. Although most of my play was in docked mode to maximize the sound. I did encounter a glitch in my first playthrough, but couldn’t replicate it subsequently. Closing and restarting resolved the issue.
Within the controls, you can alter the speed of both the screen rotation and pointer, which is useful for a first-person game.
It takes about 1.5 hours to complete the 5 days.
Conclusion
There isn’t a huge amount of gameplay in Flutter Away, but you get a delightful adventure. This first-person game transports you to the Amazon rainforest, where you can explore and photograph some of the wonderful flora and fauna there. The graphics and soundtrack compliment each other and enhance the overall experience.
Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot 