Shelter 2 Trailer: Cute Not Red In Tooth And Claw
Aye, there's the cub
"Pip, I don't want to stereotype, but a trailer titled 'Cuteness in Shelter 2' seems right up your street," said Alice, stereotyping furiously.
Thing is, this is a stereo-typo because I am not there for anything cute or parental. I'm interested in Shelter 2 [official site] because I want to defeat my cubs and to see how the savage indifference of nature manifests. Further reading of this news story will contain spoilers for Shelter...
In the original Shelter I think the game was hard-coded to have an eagle swoop down and carry you off at the end while any remaining cubs scampered off like the treacherous ungrateful jackasses they were.
Shelter 2 represents a second chance. A second chance to become the sole survivor. To beat those awful children at simply staying alive. I'm bigger than them and better than them. The only thing standing in my way is that the folk over at Might and Delight. What if they've made it so I can't treat my children like a mobile lunchbox? What if I need to care for them rather than offering them up as distractions to eagles or a snack? What if they make me do parenting again?
The trailer offers no real clues on this front. I mean there's the familiar art style and a more expansive-looking play area. It looks friendly and adorable. But, as per the developer website: "The beauty of nature goes hand in hand with its unforgiving rawness. That is central in Shelter 2, and one of the reasons we chose to make a game about a Lynx. They are in middle of the food chain, and there are far more vicious things out on the cold tundra".
There are different types of terrain and different weather too. I suppose I would probably keep the children alive as roving hot waters but THAT'S ALL. In spring it's no more Mr Nice PipLynx.