‘Squirreled Away’ May Be the World’s First Squirrel-Vival Crafting Game, and No, I Won’t Apologize for That Pun (Review)

I love it when a game that could easily skate by with a funky gimmick is actually, genuinely good. When Squirreled Away was first brought to my attention, I figured it was going to be something in the vein of Goat Simulator. Or even, the aptly named Squirrel With A Gun. Instead, I found a very competent, fun, and extremely charming little survival crafting game that’s equal parts lighthearted and charming, and genuinely exciting to play. But most importantly, it’s a crafting game where you get to play as a squirrel. What else could you really ask for?

Squirrels Just Wanna Have Fun in ‘Squirreled Away’

Survival crafting games are always more fun with a friend, so I had to enlist the help of my wife for Squirreled Away. After telling her that I discovered a new game where we get to play as adorable little fuzzy squirrels, I didn’t have to say anything else. The concept alone is interesting and intriguing enough to get anyone on board, and the general gameplay is strong enough to keep players interested for the long run.

Rather than making Squirreled Away a hardcore survival game, akin to something like Enshrouded or ARK, it’s a very casual affair. You don’t need to monitor your hunger or anything like that. There is no fall damage in Squirreled Away. It’s all very light and breezy, the perfect opportunity to introduce someone to the world of crafting games. The survival aspect? It’s minimal, outside of restoring your health after taking a small amount of damage. Crafting and exploration are the name of the game here, and that’s where Squirreled Away excels.

Exploration is a Blast in ‘Squirreled Away’

What fun would a game about playing as a squirrel be if you couldn’t do squirrel things, you know? No matter what you’re doing in Squirreled Away, it’s just pure fun. Running around the map, interacting with other adorable little woodland creatures, and finding new items to toss into my inventory is never a chore. The sense of discovery in Squirreled Away is impressive, especially for players like my wife who want to explore every nook and cranny of each available level.

It’s very peaceful, and the soundtrack intensifies that feeling. Jazzy instrumental tracks fill the air, with each “zone” having unique tracks. Even after spending hours in each of these zones, grabbing new materials and searching for fur dyes, I never tired of the music. It’s just so peaceful, and the best way to turn my brain off after a hectic day. Even if I’m not working my way through the plentiful quests, I’m just running around as a little dude. Things are always good in the world of Squirreled Away.

The Amount of Things To Do in ‘Squirreled Away’ Is Just Nuts!

I also think it’s hilarious that Squirreled Away has a genuinely massive amount of things to do. If I’m not creating and crafting new items, I can work my way through the story. Each new zone has plenty of new squirrels, eager for my help. These quests are easy to understand, simple to perform, but feel just as gratifying as I could hope. Plus, they encourage players to upgrade their tools, explore new areas, and just have fun. My wife, in particular, is a huge fan of finding the Golden Acorns spread throughout the zones.

We’ve been playing now for roughly 6 hours, and still have plenty of things to do in Squirreled Away. I can confidently say: if you’ve got a significant other who is remotely interested in the idea of playing a video game as a squirrel? This is the game for you. It’s light and breezy, all while looking and running great on nearly every type of hardware. It’s just a wonderfully goofy little game, and we just can’t get enough of it.

‘Squirreled Away’ Does Have Some Annoying Technical Issues, However

One thing I will mention about Squirreled Away, however, is that it does require some patience if you want the full, proper experience. As we’ve been playing multiplayer from the start, things like quest markers showing incomplete on one side can be obnoxious. Sometimes, the momentum can also be a little strange, catapulting my squirrel toward the ground if I get too close to a branch while I’m falling.

There were also a few times when crafting materials would just… disappear, gone to the void without a trace. Items are bountiful in Squirreled Away, but when you’ve traveled across the map in search of Spider Webs to make string for a glider, you don’t want to go back without that new fancy Glider. At least our Squirrel friends are fast.

A Genuine Joy

Squirreled Away is bliss in video game form, and an easily accessible way to get someone into the crafting spirit. It’s a fun game to play solo, but it’s so much better with a friend or a loved one. Squirreled Away is a nutty time, and one that I’ll happily keep revisiting for the foreseeable future.

No matter what we were doing here, we were always smiling, laughing, and giggling like kids. Its low-stakes action is easy to recommend to players of all skill types, and the idea of crafting a house as a squirrel doesn’t get old. There’s so much to love about Squirreled Away, and it’s become a household favorite rather quickly.

Verdict: Highly Recommended

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Squirreled Away is available now on PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC.