Squirrel Showdown at Gamescom 2024: Squirreled Away vs. Squirrel with a Gun

We've previously talked about the herd effect that occurs at events like this (which we've taken the liberty to label as the "zombie syndrome"). In the bustling environment of Gamescom 2024, amid action-packed titles and dazzling graphics, a smaller game can easily go unnoticed at first glance. Instinctively, your legs steer you toward the most crowded booths, and like a brainless zombie searching for meat, you're drawn to all that hustle and bustle.

But we have this saying in Spain... "where you least expect it, the hare jumps" (meaning that surprises often come from the most unexpected places). During these eventful days, we've been fortunate enough to stumble upon a few hares. Only this time, they weren't really hares, but rather squirrels. And they were quite different from each other...

Squirrel with a Gun is the type of game that immediately grabs attention with its absurd premise and wild humour. Even more so at events like Gamescom, where your legs instinctively carry you towards that relentless action. It's the game everyone's talking about—a squirrel with a gun wreaking havoc in a quiet neighborhood while stealing golden acorns and battling government agents. It's easy to see why many Gamescom attendees were drawn to this game's booth, as it has everything that makes a title stand out at such a packed event: action, humour, and a touch of madness.

In terms of gameplay, Squirrel with a Gun presents itself as a sandbox where you can explore and cause chaos at will. The squirrel, armed to the teeth, uses a variety of weapons, including pistols, rifles, and rocket launchers, to spread panic among pedestrians and security agents. The game allows the use of weapon recoil as a mobility tool, letting the squirrel perform stunts and reach platforms.

The humour in Squirrel with a Gun is a clear nod to games like Goat Simulator, where the goal is essentially to create as much mayhem as possible while enjoying ridiculous scenarios. However, once the joke wears thin, the game starts to lose its charm. The enemies, mostly government agents, offer little challenge, and the combat mechanics, though initially exciting, become repetitive over time. The absurd appeal of the early hours quickly fades, and although the game delivers a few laughs, its duration and lack of variety start to become drawbacks.

Despite this, Squirrel with a Gun has standout moments, like boss encounters and special animations where the squirrel performs spectacular moves reminiscent of John Wick kicking ass. However, these moments are quite similar and repetitive, failing to sustain the game throughout. Additionally, technical issues such as screen freezes and glitches negatively impact the experience, adding frustration to a concept that already relies heavily on smooth performance. All this makes it a great game for the first hours (or first impressions), but that charm quickly wears off over time.

On the other end of the spectrum is Squirreled Away, a much calmer and more inviting proposition. It's not a game with flashy features or ultra-realistic graphics. At first glance, it might go unnoticed. It's the complete opposite of Squirrel with a Gun. Here, there are no weapons or government agents chasing you, just an urban park full of opportunities to explore, gather, and create. From the very beginning, the game envelops you in a serene atmosphere, with a hand-drawn art style that evokes the nostalgia of children's books. Instead of chaos and destruction, Squirreled Away invites you to relax and enjoy the simple life of a squirrel.

In this title, the goal is to collect materials to build a treehouse while interacting with other animals in the park. Unlike the senseless violence of its competitor (so to speak), Squirreled Away focuses on creativity and collaboration. The missions, while simple, are filled with small moments of ingenuity, such as trying to avoid detection by a dog to complete a mission (or throwing stink bombs if the dog spots you) and helping other animals with their own issues. There are no humans trying to hunt you down or life-and-death situations (except for the occasional dog or other animals that want to eat you); everything is designed to let you take your time and enjoy exploration and building.

The heart of the game lies in its ability to make every small task feel rewarding. Climbing trees, jumping between branches, and discovering new secrets in the park is an experience that, though relaxing, never feels monotonous. The sense of building your own hideaway with the materials you find gives you a constant feeling of progress, and the world's small details and interactive animals add an emotional depth that surprisingly ends up being more memorable than any action scene in Squirrel with a Gun.

The beauty of Squirreled Away lies in its ability to convey peace and tranquillity. The gentle music and carefully designed landscapes invite reflection and slow enjoyment, providing a respite amid the frenzy of titles that usually dominate events like Gamescom (and in general). While other games aim to impress with ultra-realistic graphics and complex mechanics, Squirreled Away reminds players that sometimes, less is more.

At first glance, Squirrel with a Gun seems to have the upper hand in this matchup. Its fun and absurd premise, along with the promise of chaos and destruction, make it an eye-catching choice for sandbox game enthusiasts. However, after spending time with both games, it's clear that the armed squirrel's joke doesn't hold up over time. While it offers entertaining moments, the repetitiveness of the mechanics and technical issues cause the experience to wear thin quickly.

On the other hand, Squirreled Away proves to be a much more enduring and emotionally rewarding experience. Although it may not stand out at first, its simplicity connects with the player in a way that Squirrel with a Gun never quite manages. The calm and creativity that Squirreled Away offers, along with its beautiful visual design and focus on exploration and building, make it a memorable title.

Ultimately, we lean towards Squirreled Away, as it's a perfect example of how video games don't need flashy features or ultra-realistic graphics to be memorable. Sometimes, what resonates most is well-crafted simplicity, emotional connection to a thoughtfully designed world, and the peace that comes from exploring and creating at your own pace. At an event like Gamescom, packed with flashy and frantic proposals, Squirreled Away shines by reminding us that a game with a more modest approach but full of heart can be more memorable than the grandest action titles.