Pokemon-style collection of creatures, with a conscience

by Michael McWhertor

Anyone who has played Pokemon long enough can become a bit cynical about the creature collecting aspects of the games. You capture, breed, and battle these adorable creatures, and in the case of the Pokémon-inspired Palworld, even consign them to forced labor. A new creature collecting game, Creatures of Ava, takes a different approach: What if you were kind to the animals?

Developers Inverge and Chibig revealed Creatures of Ava on Wednesday, showing how players will take on the role of young adult adventurer Vic on a mission to tame and collect wild fantastical beasts. But instead of trapping them in a ball-shaped prison, Vic uses a flute (and hugs and belly rubs) to lure the game's creatures home. The mission is to cure them of a widespread infection that makes the monsters in Creatures of Ava aggressive.