The Day Before You Gone
—
The Day Before You Gone
Game
Game2025
Atomic Owl
Developer Monster Theater
You are Hidalgo Bladewing, a bird with a beef. Hack, slash, platform, and soar through a beautifully chaotic pixel-art neonscape in your quest to save your feathered friends. Challenging retro-inspired platforming gameplay, transforming weapons, and fowl Ninja action await. From the Steam store page
97 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Oct 28, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
82
LovedLoved
51 positive · 11 negative
95% range 71–90%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 51 | 11 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 7 | 1 | 24 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 2 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
53 of 64 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
84% recommend · 52 yes, 10 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 62 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (72 of 82 positive).
Players praise the game's visuals, music, and nostalgic feel. [1][2][3] Some reviewers note bugs and unfinished elements. [4][5] The gameplay is described as challenging but rewarding. [1][6][7]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
kickstarted the game, huge owl lover, was so excited when i saw a platforming game with owls release day, the game felt off turned it off, when it crashed, after entering a "bonus" room nearly half a year later, lots of updates and changes to the game, played it, went into bonus room, it crashed again (looked it up, it was actually the very same room) i'm sure it was a project with a lot of love, but the end product …
- [1]
Makes me feel like I'm back in the SNES glory days but with better lighting effects and sound. The soundtrack is awesome, I wish I had bought the bundle with the OST. My favourite part of the game is the platforming - it's tough but fair. The weapon variety is nice. I spent a lot of time switching between weapons but I love the hard hitting boomerang hammer.
- [3]
This is honestly one of the best games I’ve played in recent years. It’s a dream. Challenging, fun, and a love letter to games of the 90s. It’s like paying Sonic again for the first time. Incredible isn’t enough to describe it.
- [13]
I had a good time with Atomic Owl. The art style is cool and the graphics look amazing, though the bright neon can feel a little eye-searing after a while. The actual gameplay feels incredibly tight and responsive, and I really appreciated the addition of the "No Rogue Lite" mode so I could play the game as regular side scroller instead of dealing with a repetitive roguelite loop. Overall, it's just a sharp, …
- [2]
If you want a game (like in the previous century - yes I'm that old so bite me) with humor and absolute stunning and beautiful scenery then this platformer isn't just for you. You will love it!! Personally I'm not big on platformer but an OWL NINJA .. come on that's epic and I know you want to be an owl ninja too !! Which is why I backed the kickstarter. So maybe a bit biased, but OWL NINJA!! Jokes asides the game …
Summarised from 34 of the 100 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
84% of the 62 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Atomic Owl. The complaint that keeps coming up: some bugs and crashes reported. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Reactions
60 of 97 · most liked firstCutscene for the game Atomic Owl :3 #pixelart #ドット絵 #gamedev #indiedev I can do commissions for you too! my portfolio: cara.app/cecihoney
neutral · AI labelView post →Cutscene made for the game Atomic Owl :3 #pixelart #ドット絵 I can do commissions for you too! my portfolio: artstation.com/cecihoneypixel
neutral · AI labelView post →Please turn your SOUND ON and check out some of the music I composed for this incredible upcoming game ATOMIC OWL, coming to PS5, XBOX, Switch and Steam next year. I’m so excited to be a part of this amazing project, and I can’t wait for you all to play. Please follow @monstertheater.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →New single news coming soon, plus new ALBUM news coming at the same time. Exciting times! For now check out some music I did for the upcoming @monstertheater.bsky.social game ATOMIC OWL. How cool is this? #synthwave #chiptune
neutral · AI labelView post →Atomic Owl is proudly part of the Game Industry Hardship Fund! 🦉⚔️ The industry is hurting, here’s one small way we can help. 100+ games for $10, with proceeds benefiting laid-off + underemployed game workers. Only 5 days left! Grab the bundle and support a great cause. ⬇️ 🔗 itch.io/b/3802/game-...
neutral · AI labelView post →kickstarted the game, huge owl lover, was so excited when i saw a platforming game with owls release day, the game felt off turned it off, when it crashed, after entering a "bonus" room nearly half a year later, lots of updates and changes to the game, played it, went into bonus room, it crashed again (looked it up, it was actually the very same room) i'm sure it was a project with a lot of love, but the end product just didnt deliver and it hurts.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Makes me feel like I'm back in the SNES glory days but with better lighting effects and sound. The soundtrack is awesome, I wish I had bought the bundle with the OST. My favourite part of the game is the platforming - it's tough but fair. The weapon variety is nice. I spent a lot of time switching between weapons but I love the hard hitting boomerang hammer.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Today is the day! So excited that Atomic Owl, a game that I’m the composer for is being featured today on the OTK Games Expo in front of thousands of viewers. Please check it out at around 7pm UK time and show your support. Also follow @monstertheater.bsky.social www.youtube.com/live/5vL3FFZ...
neutral · AI labelView post →2 new episodes of Indie Game Arcade out this week discussing: 👑The King is Watching 🔫Rusty Rangers 📸Heartworm 🦉Atomic Owl 🚢Static Dread: The Lighthouse 🥷Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound 🤖Sands of Hope 🐥Paper Animal Adventure 🐑Shepherd Knight And tons more! #indiegames #newgames #gaming bit.ly/IGApodcast
neutral · AI labelView post →Cutscene I made for the game Atomic Owl -^.^- #pixelart I do commissions for you too! my portfolio: artstation.com/cecihoneypixel
neutral · AI labelView post →First off i REALLY hate to leave a bad review for this game but it needs some polishing before i can recommend it. There are some good things about the game so please take this review as not a totally dont recommend but just a middle of the road if there was such a vote on steam. But it doesnt exist so i had to choose. If the game is updated the dialogue completed and the weird bug i ran into fixed I can recommend this. BUG = weird stuttering on the death gauntlet stage later on. I know its…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Full Walkthrough: https://youtu.be/2Y_QGFsofNk Gameplay: Good Story: Very Good Graphics: Good Game Time: 2 - 4.5 hours Here I will leave the cat, friends who pass by can pet it and give it a thumbs up ／＞ フ | l ／` ミ＿xノ / | / ヽ ﾉ │ | | | ／￣| | | | | (￣ヽ＿ヽ)__)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Atomic Owl is out NOW on Steam! Please give us a review if you’re enjoying the game on Steam! 🦉 🗡️
neutral · AI labelView post →Please consider following my [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41005226/]Curation page. I cover a wide range of genres both paid and unpaid, providing unbiased opinions as well as regular giveaway events. Video Review https://youtu.be/8F03-GZImoM I'm Torn Okay... So... This is hard to both recommend and to ignore because you can clearly tell there is a lot of passion put into the game, but at the same time, it's got a lot of flaws in the platforming portion of the game and the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New on Player32: ▸ Atomic Owl ▸ Last Breath 最后的气息 ▸ Firestone – Idle Clicker Online RPG ▸ Dead Watch Trailers, demos and deals for every game → https://player32.com/ #PCGaming #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm sure this is the right game for some out there, it just isn't for me. Seems to be kind of in the vain of platformers like N++, so if you are into that style maybe this works for you. I'm old so for platforming I want something more retro than that, to me this motion just feels off. Music is great, the visuals are good but again CRT filter doesn't feel like it does what it should, but the style is nice without it. Sadly I just don't enjoy playing the game because the character motion and…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I had a blast playing this! I backed the Kickstarter, so it was really cool to see my name in the credits! I wish I had backed it at a higher tier so that my name spewed forth out of the obelisk haha. Now for the game itself, it felt very classic in the sense that (Yes your character levels up and gets stronger after each death) but primarily it felt more like I, the player, leveled up as I played. You keep starting over from the beginning each time you fail until you can beat the whole game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you want a game (like in the previous century - yes I'm that old so bite me) with humor and absolute stunning and beautiful scenery then this platformer isn't just for you. You will love it!! Personally I'm not big on platformer but an OWL NINJA .. come on that's epic and I know you want to be an owl ninja too !! Which is why I backed the kickstarter. So maybe a bit biased, but OWL NINJA!! Jokes asides the game is solid with good music, humor and just lovely pixelart! Downside the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you looking for your next roguelite, I definitely suggest Atomic Owl being that game! I had a great time reviewing this one even being trash at platforming 😂 @monstertheater.bsky.social definitely snapped with this one #indiegames #gamereviews youtu.be/5xKwPQiIPLE?...
positive · AI labelView post →Not having a good time with this one. I will try to finish, but can't recommend. Issues I have with the game as of August 1st, 2025: -Dash goes in the direction you are facing, not the direction you are pressing on the controller -Enemies shooting thru the ground -Can't attack up with the chain/whip -Hard to tell the difference between enemies and NPCs that want to talk -Some of the dialogue is voice over and most is not
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Bought this game on sale and honestly I'd buy it at full price if I had the option. The gameplay is refreshing (reminds me of some of my favorite games, like The Messenger), but there are two things that really make this game shine (besides the amazing graphics, soundtrack, and more things). A) This game is a roguelite, but gives you the option to turn that off. It's great for people who enjoy a quicker experience, and while there is still a hub and upgrades in 'No Rogue' mode, the game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wanted to end up liking this game more. It's got a great style and fantastic music, but I ran into 2 major bugs, including one that locked me out of progress twice. The first bug, not as egregious but I ended up falling into and getting stuck in level geometry. Not the worst thing since the floating hand in the level brought me back to the checkpoint. But the other bug was what did me in. When stuck in one of the locked arenas, I ended up dying having upgraded the second wind perk,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So let it be known that i kickstarted this game. with that out of the way, i was able to beat the game within 2 hrs. This game is not balanced enough to be considered a good roguelike. it took my second attempt to beat the entire game, this game has potential but with terrible balancing issues it failed at it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →ATOMIC OWL IS FINALLY HERRRREEEEE! I legitimately cannot wait to get home and play this game, you have no idea. This crew has been amazing to work with and I know that’ll shine through in the end product! Keep an eye out for my girl Kaze, plus a bonus secret role~
positive · AI labelView post →🎮 New Episode Drop! 🎙️ Today on Indie Game Arcade, we dive into Deadzone: Rogue, plus discussions on: 🎞️ Dead Take 🌻 Oscuro: Blossom’s Glow ⚔️ Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound 🦉 Atomic Owl and more! Listen & choose your favorite app here: https://f.mtr.cool/fzpaitvhav #IndieGames #Podcast #DeadzoneRogue
neutral · AI labelView post →Game play is easy to grasp. Music and the aesthetic are probably the best parts about this game. Game is pretty easy off the bat and gets easier the more you die and upgrade. yes i know that's normal for the genre but it gets really easy. Game also has some trial runs hidden in the levels.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is honestly one of the best games I’ve played in recent years. It’s a dream. Challenging, fun, and a love letter to games of the 90s. It’s like paying Sonic again for the first time. Incredible isn’t enough to describe it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Atomic Owl is a wonderful indie game platformer out with a demo on Steam. Very fluid, relative fast pace, and a neat sense of humor! Glad to be on the Monster Theater Creator team which helped bring this game to my attention!
positive · AI labelView post →I had a good time with Atomic Owl. The art style is cool and the graphics look amazing, though the bright neon can feel a little eye-searing after a while. The actual gameplay feels incredibly tight and responsive, and I really appreciated the addition of the "No Rogue Lite" mode so I could play the game as regular side scroller instead of dealing with a repetitive roguelite loop. Overall, it's just a sharp, engaging game that I genuinely liked. Worked great on the Steam Deck. 3/5
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am not a pixel art game fan but the have been growing on me. Atomic Owl is a pretty awesome game. It's Mega Man and Castlevania mixed in a bowl, poured in a pan, baked in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes and you got Atomic Owl. The soundtrack is Bon Appetit! Don't let the cute graphics fool you, this game is pretty difficult at times. Definitely pays homage to retro gaming. Bravo dev!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is visually and musically insane - the art style is so striking and beautiful! The soundtrack is absolutely fire and had me drifting away, you can absolutely tell passion was poured into this game. AND its a lot of fun. Charming world - definitely recommend if you're a fan of the genre! Only played an hour so far but pumped to go through it all
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Don't be a birdbrain, come play this flocking game! Great music, chill vibes.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hack, slash, platform, and soar through a beautifully chaotic pixel-art neonscape in your quest to save your feathered friends. Elegant roguelite elements, transforming weapons, and fowl Ninja action await. Learn more in our review of Atomic Owl: somanygames.co.uk/review/atomi...
neutral · AI labelView post →I have been playing this game for a couple days(Thanks to the awesome devs) and absolutely loving it. Perfect mix between Hollow Knight and Celeste. Combat is tight, movement is quick, and music is bumping. Absolutely recommend for the indie price tag. The voice acting is good when it is there, but most of the time, it’s just grunts and sighs. The characters feel pre-existing and world feels lived in. I can’t wait to finish it. I will say, I got 10 of the 19 achievements within the first hour,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A fun game with amazing pixel art, fun gameplay and a good amount of difficulty. What's not to love!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The good: - artstyle - presentstion - soundtrack The mid: - platforming (sometimes doesn't dash in the direction you want to) - story The bad: - combat (way to simple, no directional attacks and enemy become really tanky) - english voices - upgrades being tied to rare random drops from normal enemies
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Thankies, that piece is the opening cutscene for the game Atomic Owl currently on steam :3
neutral · AI labelView post →It's okay. Needs more polishing, gameplay and storywise. Most importantly, enable for the player to change the keybindings.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a really good side scrolling platformer, Nice vibrant levels and really brings me back to NES glory days, 8,8 hours to completion and zero bugs nor crashes. Well worth the asking price.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is pretty rad. I love the neon-soaked esthetic and the music fits the gameplay perfectly. It starts off as a platformer with roguelike elements but without spoiling anything, I'll just say that the second half of the game is really where things become interesting. It takes what the first half did and cranks the challenge up considerably.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Atomic Owl is just a platformer where you start from the beginning after every game over. Not for me, sadly.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Im not usually a big fan of Roguelites but this game really got me hooked , I know for some the non randomized levels are a bit of a let down but for me learning and repeating the levels is a bonus as it allows me to get better runs every time i play . The Boss fights are Challenging but after a few attempts can be completed without to much frustration . I kinda liken this game to a blend of Celeste , Ori and the blind forest and Dead cells . The bright and colourful neon pixel Graphics are a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is why we love indie games! I love the soundtrack, visuals, and gameplay. Hacking and slashing never felt so good
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It has been around 45 minutes since I started playing and everything is amazing. You know when you don't see the time pass because you are so involved in the game? Yeah this is happening. I backed the game on Kickstarter and I'm glad that the game is finally here. The 'vibe' is amazing, there's this 90s feeling, synth music (amazing by the way), combat is nice, a lot of colors I definitely recommend this game, one of the best I've played since a long time!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →fun, amazing music to play to! Don't get me started on the graphics, a must see for own self. game play is fun and just enough of a challenge to keep you coming back for just one more play through. Humor and voice acting is a nice touch, fun weapons and abilities right out of the gate! DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS! Its a no brainer and on sale right now!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Genuinely, I can't recommend Atomic Owl enough, I don't even know where to begin. Honestly the real star of the game is the soundtrack because it will melt your mind, it's just incredible synthwave that wouldn't be out of place at a nightclub. The graphics are really well done pixel art, the gameplay is tight and responsive, levels are bright and colorful and the characters are well written. The story is interesting so far, and I am eager to see where it heads as I continue to progress. I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We believe in the spirit of game preservation and a DRM free gaming landscape -- so with that, Atomic Owl is now available to wishlist on GOG. Check out our new page on GOG below! www.gog.com/en/game/atom...
neutral · AI labelView post →Feature four - four upcoming indies that deserve a wishlist! Atomic Owl @monstertheater.bsky.social Ultimate Sheep Raccoon @clevendeavgames.bsky.social Seed of Nostalgia Shallow Pond @nimsodev.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →An excellent sidescroller that invokes that oldschool feel perfectly. Tight controls, tough bosses, and rewarding power-ups that can shape every playthrough differently. I adore how you can play through in a classic style, or a more modern Rogue-Lite style. But, gameplay details aside, the art and music are why you NEED to play this game. Stylistically, there's very little like it on the market, and it nails every note and tone.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Atomic Owl is an action side-scroller in tune to the games of the past. It plays on nostalgia, but adds modern features and ideas to blend the past and present into a beautifully written and completed game. The skills and weapons may seem basic at first, but eventually become more sophisticated as the playthrough progresses. While my progress isn't as far as others, I have been following other players in their journey through Atomic Owl. The music pairs perfectly with the game. The neo…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very fun gameplay, stylish and fast paced. Story is ok, but it's more just to setup your reasons for why you need to go through these levels. Music is also very good if you like 80s synthwave.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →2D rougevania where you play as a bird? Yeah, sign me up! This game is fantastic! Combat is great. The voice acting is awesome! It's a little weird to enter conversations where there is sometimes voice acting and then sometimes not, but it's not jarring enough to be an issue. Looking forward to spending much more time in this world.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Last night's Atomic Owl stream was good fun. Frustrating at times--THAT GAUNTLET OF DOOM, AUGH 🤬😓--but ended up BEATING THE FINAL BOSS! Woohoo!!! Also, found some glitches that @monstertheater.bsky.social should definitely see. 😆Still a fun game overall, and that soundtrack--SO GOOD!
positive · AI labelView post →#Indie Showcase - Atomic Owl A love letter to challenging platformers and synthwave. There is a rogue-lite element in that you can perma upgrade when you die, but overall it really tries to (and does rather well) mimic an older Sega style game, which is as big of a compliment as I can give it.
positive · AI labelView post →Do YOU have a favorite Warriors game? Sched! Both sponsored by @keymailer.bsky.social and the devs/pubs, I'll be showing you all Sizzle & Stack by @arvisgames.bsky.social and Atomic Owl by @eastasiasoft.bsky.social! While I grind away on E33, we'll tackle Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity!
neutral · AI labelView post →Game is absolutely beautiful. It runs smoothly and is fairly difficult, especially at the back half of the game. There were a few instances where I was frustrated with certain enemies and stages, however, the game works well and the designs are amazing. Keep at it and you'll get the hang of it with enough practice, even some of the more frustrating situations. Overall, good game and deserves a play through.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Atomic Owl IS a hard game and not for the faint of heart. It is made for those that grew up on MegaMan, Super Ghouls N’ Ghosts, and Castlevania: Dracula X. Perish, try again, and succeed.
neutral · AI labelView post →As Someone that is not a roguelite fan for most games, Atomic Owl hits differently and the visuals, platforming and unforgettable score by XENNON, its a perfect marriage of nostalgia and modern gameplay. Well done for a small indie dev with a successful crowdfunding campaign. Highly recommend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is seriously underrated, and I'm surprised more people don't know about it. Basically, my only con is the story, which is confusing at first, but eventually becomes clear the further you get into the story. Other than that, everything else is amazing - the spritework feels like an SNES running on an RTX card, the music blew me away the first time I heard it, and the controls are easy to learn but hard to master. Please buy this game, you won't regret it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The graphics are so detailed and really bring out the ambiance of the game! The combat is really fun too. Not too easy or hard yet still offers an exciting challenge!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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