Alba: A Wildlife Adventure is a 2020 adventure game developed and published by Ustwo Games. It released on iOS, macOS and Windows in 2020, and for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2021. The Windows and console ports were published by PID Games along with Ustwo. The game focuses on exploring the world and conserving wildlife.
| Alba: A Wildlife Adventure | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Ustwo Games |
| Publisher(s) | Ustwo Games PID Games (Windows and consoles) |
| Engine | Unity[1] |
| Platform(s) | iOS, macOS, tvOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
| Release | iOS, macOS, tvOS, Microsoft Windows
|
| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Synopsis
editThe game takes place at Secarral, a fictional island town in Spain. The protagonist, a girl named Alba Singh, flies from Great Britain to visit her grandparents for a week-long vacation. After helping to rescue a stranded dolphin, she and her friend Inés form a wildlife rescue league. The next day the mayor announces that the local nature reserve, which suffered from a wildfire, will be developed into a luxury hotel. The girls decide to collect signatures to stop this. They help with multiple cleanups and animal rescue tasks, as well as photographing and cataloguing the local wildlife to raise awareness. One of the ultimate goals is to discover an elusive Iberian lynx. It has an open world.
Development
editPID Games published Alba: A Wildlife Adventure for iOS, macOS, and Microsoft Windows on December 11, 2020.[2][3] Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S ports followed on June 9, 2021.[4]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | iOS: 84/100[5] PC: 79/100[6] NS: 80/100[7] |
| OpenCritic | 89% recommend[8] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 8/10[9] |
| Edge | 7/10 |
| Game Informer | 8/10[10] |
| Pocket Gamer |   [11] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | Apple Design Awards, Social Impact (2021)[12] |
It received positive reviews on Metacritic.[6] Christian Donlan of Eurogamer praised the realism present in the game's environments, writing "All these animals are a delight when they're knocking about, and when you find them flapping in oil or trapped in the shrink-wrap handcuffs from an idle six-pack, it's impossible not to leap in and help them immediately." Donlan also enjoyed the island setting of Pinar del Mar, calling it "the Spanish holiday island of everyone's dreams" and "beautifully observed".[13] Game Informer's Marcus Stewart liked the photography mechanic of Alba, although he expressed disappointment at the lack of variety among animals. He also appreciated the straightforward side quests on the island.[14] Jupiter Hadley, writing for Pocket Gamer, enjoyed how the player's actions had an impact on the island. Hadley praised the game for having a good message about advocating for a cause.[15]
The game won Apple Design Awards in 2021 in Social Impact category.[12]
References
edit- ^ "Making Alba: How to build a performant open-world game". YouTube. 11 November 2022.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2020-11-11). "Alba: A Wildlife Adventure launches December 11". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2020-11-05). "Plug In Digital announces new games label PID Publishing". Gematsu. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
- ^ "Alba: A Wildlife Adventure coming to PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch on June 9". Gematsu. 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Alba: a Wildlife Adventure for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ a b "Alba: a Wildlife Adventure for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
- ^ "Alba: a Wildlife Adventure for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ "Alba: A Wildlife Adventure Reviews". OpenCritic. 15 June 2021.
- ^ Andriessen, CJ. "Review: Alba: A Wildlife Adventure". Destructoid. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
- ^ Stewart, Marcus (2021-01-08). "Alba: A Wildlife Adventure Review – A Good Deed". Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
- ^ Hadley, Jupiter (2020-12-22). "Alba: A Wildlife Adventure review - "Becoming a Hero Through Small Actions"". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
- ^ a b "Apple announces winners of the 2021 Apple Design Awards". Apple Newsroom. 2021-06-10. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
- ^ Donlan, Christian (2020-12-11). "Alba: A Wildlife Adventure review - the pleasure of fixing things". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
- ^ Stewart, Marcus. "Alba: A Wildlife Adventure Review – A Good Deed". Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
- ^ Hadley, Jupiter (2020-12-22). "Alba: A Wildlife Adventure review - "Becoming a Hero Through Small Actions"". www.pocketgamer.com. Retrieved 2021-06-13.