I didn't expect I'd review two games about pied-pipering friendly and fantastical animals around a beautiful world in the span of just a few weeks, but following the recent release of Flock, a somewhat similar game has arrived. Creatures of Ava, however, is a much bigger and more ambitious game, and usually reaches the surprisingly high benchmarks it sets for itself. From a pair of relatively unknown studios, this open-world creature-saving game is touching, gorgeous, and ultimately serves as one of the best family games of the year.

Creatures of Ava stars Vic, a researcher who arrives on the planet Ava to help complete an ark project that intends to rescue the world's animals from the withering, a planet-wide infection that is slowly corrupting life itself. Even before I knew what kind of game Creatures of Ava would be, I was taken aback by how pretty it is. It's one of the best-looking games I've played in 2024, with a vibrant color palette of bright oranges, pinks, blues, and more that is immediately striking.

Additionally, the game's way of carrying players through a story that involves four distinct open-world sections, each with its own biomes and aesthetics, means new surprises and sights are regularly debuting. I was genuinely excited to conclude each chapter just so I could see what remarkable vistas the game would unveil next.