Aeterna Noctis
Aeterna Noctis
Game
Game2016
Owlboy
Developer D-Pad Studio
Owlboy is a platform-adventure video game created by Norwegian independent developer D-Pad Studio. The game is notable for its long development cycle, which began in 2007, and was released in November 2016. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
354 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
74
Fresh
140 positive · 49 negative
95% range 67–80%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 140 | 49 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 47 | 6 | 89 |
| Lemmy * | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| Mastodon * | 4 | 0 | 5 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
3,426 of 4,131 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
74% recommend · 134 yes, 47 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 181 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (5,121 of 6,134 positive).
Players praise the beautiful pixel art and emotional soundtrack. [1][2][3]
Representative posts
- [11]
Making a video game is hard, harder than anyone can anticipate (depending on their situation), even if you're studying to become a game designer, it is still probably the hardest thing to do than anyone can imagine, especially at a time when there wasn't much of an indie video games industry. It's pretty remarkable for the developers to release the games they've been working on for 10 years. I can't imagine how they …
- [1]
Having finished playing Owlboy I truly wish I had played it much sooner instead of pushing it off as long as I did. The pixel art is so beautiful and both story and characters felt so well written to me and I personally enjoyed every bit of my time exploring the world.
- [4]
What a magical game; it feels like you got sucked into one of the Ghibli movie worlds. The art and the design are among the best that I've seen in pixel art. It has an interesting story and world-building; the gameplay is fun, relaxing, and challenging at times, especially with the bosses. The puzzle were easy and there wasn't a variety of enemies but but enough to not make bored. The boss fights are so good, except …
- [2]
Such a beautiful game, yet it got so little attention. Its music, its characters, its story is so grand and moving that it brings you to tears. It's one of the few games I genuinely cried hard at, and it's forever earned my respect and admiration. I so want to share this game's experience with as many people as possible.
- [3]
This is a gorgeous game with absolutely stellar pixel art and a fantastic soundtrack. The story and lore are surprisingly deep, and the Metroidvania gameplay is solid, taking you through a variety of interesting and well-designed environments. I played Owlboy across a Steam Deck, a Windows 11 laptop, and a CachyOS PC, and it ran flawlessly on all three. However, it's not without its flaws. The dialogue can be a bit …
Summarised from 34 of the 297 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 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Owlboy talk about stunning pixel art and visuals; those who didn't talk about uneven difficulty spikes. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Owlboy received positive commentary from gaming publications. Kotaku's Luke Plunkett stated in 2013 that it would be "worth the wait" of its extensive development time. Regarding the art style, he mentioned, "..and the game's charming art style, which for want of something more descriptive reminds me of a Genesis version of Wind Waker." Dave Cook of VG247 described the game as "a rather neat-looking 2D pixel art platformer". Nathan Grayson of Rock, Paper, Shotgun lamented the fact that by 2013 the game still did not yet have a release date as "the bad news – the news by which all upsetting and otherwise unfortunate events are judged". The website Kill Screen would go on to compare the…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 354 · most liked firstThe Owlboy cast in the style of old Bengus art (circa MvC1.) I always felt they'd fit into a fighting game.
neutral · AI labelView post →store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O... We put Owlboy on sale for real low cheap!
neutral · AI labelView post →I was in classes that would eventually lead to a game design course further down the line when I came across Cave Story. It made me realize it was actually, genuinely possible to create and publish a game on your own. I never did take that course. Instead, I dedicated myself to making Owlboy.
positive · AI labelView post →If someone you know hasn't had the chance to play Owlboy yet, it's currently 80% off on Steam, along with our other games. It directly helps fund our next game, Vikings on Trampolines, so thank you if you decide to check it out! store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O... #steamsale #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →Some landscapes from our game #Owlboy. We broke free from traditional tile-sets early, allowing @snakepixel.art to handcraft each background with as much detail as the #Xbox 360 would let us. Ironically, the game never made it to the 360 - but made it's debut on #Steam in 2016. #pixelart #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →Owlboy is featured in today's Daily Deal on #Steam! Get the game at 90% OFF ($1.99) for a limited time ♥️ (Link in bio)
neutral · AI labelView post →Hey! Owlboy is pretty affordable right now if you've been looking to try our game out! store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O...
neutral · AI labelView post →No way! We're seeing a MAJOR surge in Owlboy sales on Nintendo Switch 😱 It sold thousands of copies just last week. To those discovering the game for the first time - please handle Geddy with care! ❤️🦉 www.nintendo.com/us/store/pro... #owlboy #eshop #nintendo
neutral · AI labelView post →Hey, in case you haven't had the chance to check out our adventure platformer; Owlboy is 75% off during the Steam #summersale ! A game where you can swallow vegetables whole, throw your best friend off a cliff, and hats are illegal in space. store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O...
neutral · AI labelView post →time to play OWLBOY on @prozdplaysgames.bsky.social, this was a very charming game www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycSG...
positive · AI labelView post →Last day of the summer sale, so if you've been holding out on trying Owlboy, you still have a little time! store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O... #steamsale #steam #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →It's that time of year again🦉! Join us tomorrow, November 1st at 20:00 CET/12:00 PT on Twitch for our 9th Annual Owlboy Anniversary! Q&A, announcements and finishing our Owlboy playthrough!🎉🎉 Thank you for nine amazing years of support on our little indie game, can't wait to see you there!
neutral · AI labelView post →store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O... We put Owlboy on a 90% sale with a big update, so you know I gotta hoot n holler about it for a while! #steamsale #dailydeal #indiegame #gog
neutral · AI labelView post →Owlboy was built around two main game-mechanics: Flying & carrying. Grabbing an "item" would grant you unique actions. This lead to the Gunner-system; Carry friends with you and use their abilities as your own. 🧵 1 / 4 #gamedev #indiedev #pixelart #owlboy
neutral · AI labelView post →The sale is almost over. If you've been considering checking out out my game, it will be 75% off for one more day! #owlboy #summersale
neutral · AI labelView post →The Euro platformer revival that almost happened. When I was 10 years old, a friend and I went into the forest and started digging. Now, the exact reason why we were digging escapes me. But we often did a lot of digging. Kids—particularly boys—like to dig. It's just fun. Started with sandboxes. But we decided to move further afield. And there we were with our big shovels, just digging a hole. Four feet in, we found something. A shoe. One with a bright red high heel, to be…
neutral · AI labelView post →store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O... We put Owlboy on sale as you do this time of year. I suspect anyone following me has probably got a copy so grab it for a friend, leave a little review. Every bit helps with developing Vikings on Trampolines. Thanks! #indiedev #steamsale #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →OWLBOY MENTIONED. Awesome game that it's crazy how under the radar this has been over the years
positive · AI labelView post →IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR! The 7th anniversary of Owlboy is now exactly ONE WEEK away! On November 1st we'll be celebrating the game that started it all with some new announcements! We will also be doing our annual Q&A session: so drop your questions about us, Owlboy or our games in the comments!
neutral · AI labelView post →The Owlboy Anniversary Update is LIVE! Go check out the game on Steam, GOG or Humble Store, now at a MASSIVE 90% OFF.
neutral · AI labelView post →Otus from Owlboy Expression Studies (2016). This is a set of fan art of Otus from Owlboy. Owlboy is a 2016 indie action platform action video game. Fullsize & Info: tysontan.com/gallery/gall...
neutral · AI labelView post →Gunpoint. Story based detective game where you solve a murder. Gameplay mechanics make you feel like a badass. You can pretty much finish it in a single sitting but its great. Heat signature. A stealth based top down bounty hunter game with roguelike elements. Really well done. Made by the same guy that made Gunpoint. Neo scavenger. A murder hobo roguelike with a surprisingly long storyline. Super house of dead ninjas. Great fast paced platformer where you’re a badass ninja. Great to pick…
neutral · AI labelView post →We're swooping into the Steam #summersale once again! Owlboy - 75% off store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O... Savant Remix - 80% off store.steampowered.com/app/2279330/... Please don't throw Geddy into the walls or the abyss too much. You wouldn't do that do your best friend, would you?
neutral · AI labelView post →store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O... #summersale is on so we put Owlboy up for 75% off! #indiegame
neutral · AI labelView post →Pushing the definition but I started when it was still in beta... Minecraft has gotten hundreds and hundreds of hours put into it. Terarria and Starbound are both really good and scratch that same itch as Minecraft. Core Keeper is another one that has some of that feel and I ended up really enjoying. Surprised I haven't seen it mentioned but Cave Story was made by one guy doing everything... and everything in it is immaculate. It's still free for the original version as well. Stardew Valley…
neutral · AI labelView post →It'd be easier to take this reaction to "indie" titles if any of them could actually describe what they mean by "indie." Is it one person making a game? Because anyone calling Stardew Valley, Cave Story, Owlboy, Axiom Verge or Iconoclasts "pixelart indieslop" has lost the plot entirely.
positive · AI labelView post →That's a wrap for Owlboy. I'm a big fan of this game, and now understand the hype around it! It's the perfect game to play handheld, the story was great, and the pixel art was absolutely gorgeous 🦉
positive · AI labelView post →Making a video game is hard, harder than anyone can anticipate (depending on their situation), even if you're studying to become a game designer, it is still probably the hardest thing to do than anyone can imagine, especially at a time when there wasn't much of an indie video games industry. It's pretty remarkable for the developers to release the games they've been working on for 10 years. I can't imagine how they managed with all the personal and mental problems they were going through at…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Today is a special day, as we celebrate 10 years of Owlboy. Let's start off with this elaborate article on the often painful journey to making a single game over a decade. 🔗 www-gamer-no.translate.goog/artikler/dei...
neutral · AI labelView post →Having finished playing Owlboy I truly wish I had played it much sooner instead of pushing it off as long as I did. The pixel art is so beautiful and both story and characters felt so well written to me and I personally enjoyed every bit of my time exploring the world.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →store.steampowered.com/app/2279330/Savant__Ascent_REMIX/ store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O... Owlboy (65%), Savant Ascent Remix (15%), and the sound tracks are on sale this week for the 7th anniversary!
neutral · AI labelView post →The curse of game dev: Every time I play a new game, it just makes me want to go back and fix issues in my game. Playing through Owlboy right now and the way they do enemy hurt/death animations is so much more satisfying than my system! #gamedev #indiedev
positive · AI labelView post →My take is this is because they were made with dithering in mind. Modern pixel art games like Iconoclasts, Eastward, Owlboy, Hyper Light Drifter, Moonlighter look pretty without dithering.
neutral · AI labelView post →It's got insanely technically competent pixel art, but the work overall rings extremely hollow. I can only really praise the beauty of its visuals in a vacuum, as much of the overall art direction feels similarly devoid of substance- the game reads kinda like an artstation portfolio piece rather than a properly built world, but that might be overly harsh. At any rate, what is left is an extremely underdeveloped game full of going from place to place talking to underdeveloped characters before…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Although opinions on this game have always been divisive, to me this will always remain as one of the best indie games of all time. Phenomenal score, eye-candy pixel art, and an atmosphere that I can never forget. Although the content suffers from a rush to meet a deadline, there's still enough story and gameplay to justify the time spent on it. Every frame is straight out of a painting, It's not a perfect game, but in the world we live in, nothing truly is. Owlboy is a hidden diamond in a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What are you playing this weekend? 2026-06-12. Finished **[Yoshi and the Mysterious Book](https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/yoshi-and-the-mysterious-book-switch-2/)**! Well, at least the credits rolled, there is post game content but the little bit of what I have played, requires much more skill. I still have all the stuff I left in the previous levels though, have to go back and complete that at least. Going to keep playing and try to complete the encyclopedia as much as I can, not…
neutral · AI labelView post →The Messenger, the Mega Man game I've always wanted and secretly what I wish Owlboy was
negative · AI labelView post →I really wanted to like this game. Between the gorgeous art, enthralling music, and interesting story, this game seems like the perfect setup for a memorable and fun time. Unfortunately, the game is bogged by, at times, unplayable controls, poor enemy placement, and a severe need for a map. There are several points during boss fights that require the player to web across a screen-wide attack. I found that more often than not, my web would lock onto a random spot on my screen instead of where…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Check out Owlboy on #Steam - now at 65% Off! store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O...
neutral · AI labelView post →The art of this game is incredible, everything else is lacking. While the map is small, there is no fast travel nor any map guides. This made navigation tedious and confusing at times. The combat is lacking. It splits between a peashooter, a shotgun with too long of a cooldown, and then a one hit KO gun with a somewhat frustrating grapple mechanic. Overall, it doesn't blend well. The mobs in this game split between easy fodder that's annoying, and absolutely torturous mobs who impede on the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I guess I'm over halfway through the game, but I'm so annoyed by the gameplay and it somehow just keeps getting worse. Amazing pixel art, nice music, interesting story and setup, the main game mechanic is really cool. But the combat is just annoying, feels super unfair at times, and manages to drain all the fun I have outside of combat.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not at my best but gonna stream anyways. Gonna check out Owlboy, a game about some kind of bird man. Join me at 2pm EDT. #Owlboy #ENVtuber #Vtuber
neutral · AI labelView post →What's a game that you played, but you feel like you're the only one who's played it? 🤔 Owlboy
neutral · AI labelView post →A bit belated here, but this was for November 1st when it was Owlboy's 8th Anniversary! Owlboy is my favorite game and has influenced my art and current work so much. I highly recommend playing it if you get the chance! #owlboy
positive · AI labelView post →Adrian is one of my best pals, go support him and his crew!!! Owlboy is a really amazing, wonderful game and I have to still try Savant (once I’m done crunch mode I have a few friends games to get around to haha)
positive · AI labelView post →Owlboy is an iconic game in the pixel art world for a reason, and Simon is an absolutely wonderful human. Please play this game, it rules!
positive · AI labelView post →Been streaming Owlboy with friends on wednesdays, gosh i love this game!
positive · AI labelView post →Such a beautiful game, yet it got so little attention. Its music, its characters, its story is so grand and moving that it brings you to tears. It's one of the few games I genuinely cried hard at, and it's forever earned my respect and admiration. I so want to share this game's experience with as many people as possible.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What are you playing this weekend? 2026-06-26. Finished **[Owlboy](https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/owlboy-switch/)**. It was a fun game, but there were some parts I didn't like much. There are some sections where you have to navigate through darkness, and there are spikes on the walls, didn't like that. There were also some areas which were time based, don't like those either. Doesn't make it a bad game though, there are many good parts, but it's not perfect. Personally, I will…
neutral · AI labelView post →What are you playing this weekend? 2026-06-19. Started **[Monster Hunter Stories](https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/monster-hunter-stories-switch/)**. Have been itching to play a JRPG, and got this. I have played a few hours, and have 2 "monsties" now, but it still seems like a prologue. Unlike other Monster Hunter games, we are not hunters, but riders. People who forge bond with monsters instead of fighting them (but then use their bonded monsties to kill other monsters). The village…
neutral · AI labelView post →Owlboy started off as a light, relaxing platformer — something in the spirit of those old SNES-era Disney games that were designed to be finished without emotional damage. The pixel art is stunning, the tone is warm and friendly, and the gameplay is simple. Even the bosses were fun without being punishing. Then, without warning, the game decided it was done being gentle. The difficulty spiked hard, and the relaxed flow I’d been enjoying evaporated. What had been a cozy, charming adventure…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A resolution for the new year is to write more. I don't love the structure of steam reviews but I also don't have anywhere to publish my work and practice my writing. So here's some thoughts on Owlboy
neutral · AI labelView post →🟡 AN ABSOLUTE HOOT 🟢 Owlboy (2018, PS4) REVIEW: A beautiful blend of old-school sensibilities, gorgeous pixel art, and superb storytelling. @steadyspheretpe.bsky.social covers a game that spent nine years in development, but was worth the wait ☺️👇 #gaming 🔴 www.thepixelempire.net/owlboy-ps4-r...
neutral · AI labelView post →Owlboy is one of my favorite indie games of all time - It mixes the companion-based platforming of Kirby’s Dreamland 2 with the world-building of a Studio Ghibli film. This game is gorgeous, fun, and it’s full of amazing characters, unique mechanics, stunning music, and a metric ton of heart.
positive · AI labelView post →When I start recommending indie games to my friends, Owlboy is the first one that comes to mind. It's impossible not to notice its beautiful art. Even if you're not into platformers, if you appreciate good art, this one's a must #indiegame #indiedev
positive · AI labelView post →Next #lofiartparty game: Owlboy
neutral · AI labelView post →Interested in playing #Owlboy for yourself? We're approaching the holidays, and will put the game on a great discount soon! 🎁 The game's available on PC, Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch™, Playstation and Xbox. store.steampowered.com/app/115800/O...
neutral · AI labelView post →Anyone else just listen to game soundtracks but have never played the game? I just love the music from Owlboy, The Outer Worlds, Moonlighter, A Hat in Time... to name a few.
neutral · AI labelView post →Discover amazing games from the bustling Norwegian dev scene! 🔥 Grab Metal: Hellsinger at 60% off or Owlboy for 75% less. Over 170 titles await! Ends May 18. Just one week left 🦉 #GamesOfNorway #SteamSale #IndieGems #Norway #LovelyCrinklyEdges
neutral · AI labelView post →I wish that I could give this game a positive review. I enjoy the music, the visuals, and the platforming, puzzle solving, and combat. However, it's possible to soft-lock the game in the jungle level, which I did. I tried reaching out to the developers on Discord, and they stopped trying to figure it out. I wish I could complete the game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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