Although the game was released a few years ago on other platforms, I haven't had any contact with it since I exclusively follow Nintendo.
A colleague tells me: "The game reminds me of Arthur in the Land of the Minimoys." And he is right. Tiny characters riding on grasshoppers and various other bugs, while simultaneously trying to survive in a world where those same bugs see you as lunch.
You are a member of the Smallfolk race, humanoid creatures that differ from humans by their height. They are not much taller than a ladybug, and you can hide from the rain under blades of grass. Right at the beginning, you will design your character, give it a name, choose its build, hairstyle, eye color, as well as insect features in the form of antennas on the head, elongated ears, and sharp claws.
Many games of a similar survival type start slowly, exploring the surroundings, gathering resources, building a base, and exploring further. It becomes monotonous after a while. But not here.
Since you are tiny, even the most ordinary thicket will be a gigantic world just waiting for you to explore it. But don't be fooled, there are plenty of dangers lurking in that world - every time you set off to explore carelessly, you will encounter aggressive bugs that will attack you, so it's crucial to be cautious, but also well-equipped for conflict in case you can't escape.
You will have to be careful not to be swept away by a torrent after heavy rain, or to drown in a puddle that at first didn't seem that deep, because - you can't swim. You will have to find creative ways to get across. Whether it will be a few lily pads, a couple of twigs, or a bridge you will build, it's up to you to choose.
And so, you have wandered into the unknown, when suddenly the wind starts to blow stronger, the ground begins to shake. Even the camera shakes to give you a better experience of what is to come.
A storm. It will come quickly, and leave even faster, leaving devastation in its wake. Then you will realize that perhaps you should have built a shelter before you set off to see what lies behind that blade of grass, or next to that mushroom...
There is a tutorial in the game, and although you can skip it, I honestly recommend everyone to go through it. Throughout the game, you will encounter owl figures that will give you useful advice and hints to make your survival easier. If you forget something, all the information they provided is available at any time through your Compendium.
NPCs will give you information about the world, how to craft tools and weapons, and it's useful to chat with them whenever you have the chance.
Your antennas on your head are not just an aesthetic detail; you also use them as sensors to detect resources and various creatures. Although you will find many resources scattered around quite easily, for some you will have to put in a bit more effort - you will need axes, picks, and even weapons because you will gather some by killing ladybugs, butterflies, and other crawling creatures. In combat, you will have weak and strong attacks, dodge, and block at your disposal. All these actions consume stamina, so it will be crucial to keep that in mind. For battles against larger creatures, you will need to be very well prepared and equipped, and you will often die even when you are sure you are ready to face them. Night is generally not the smartest time of day for traveling because various bloodthirsty creatures come out at that time, so it might be better to use that time for repairing equipment, crafting furniture, or decorating your home.
When you come across a large tree, and I mean a REALLY LARGE TREE, make sure to climb up because the view is breathtaking, and you will use that tree as the base for all operations. You will also be able to tame some bugs and use them for travel, transporting items, fighting against other creatures, and on some, you will soar into the sky above the forest, and only then will you have a better sense of how big the world is. Or how small you are. Either way.
Although you can play alone, Smalland actually gains its true value in co-op. Attacking a giant scorpion is always more fun in good company, and encountering a swarm of hornets is much less stressful when you know someone has your back.
Mushrooms the size of houses, clovers the size of trees, a tree that holds an entire city - everything is very realistically made. Behind every flower and over a fallen log, it's very easy to get lost in this beautiful world, while at the same time having a real sense of what it would be like to wake up one morning one millimeter tall.
The game runs very smoothly, without any excessive performance drops. Although we received it before the official release date, there aren't too many bugs or glitches, so I believe everything will be polished when the game comes out.
Nintendo Switch 2 unit for review purposes was provided by the publisher Maximum Entertainment.
