For many cultures, the moon is a thing of mystery and beauty. For the curious little bat in Batography, it is a celestial body that they really, really want to take a full-fletched photo of. This short, bite-sized game lets players run, climb, glide, and snap toward that modest goal. And best of all, it’s completely free to download on Steam!
Primarily created by solo developer Martin Stradling of SporkTank fame, Batography was partly made to help his younger cousins get involved in game development. It was a noble endeavour, for sure, and one that manifested into something with a lovely bit of charm.
Nighttime puzzles
The game opens with our bat protagonist staring up into the sky. The moon hangs bright, and it’s waiting to be photographed. With a camera in one clawed hand, players must navigate a series of lightweight puzzles set in a compact but beautiful 2D world. The primary way to complete said puzzles is to take photographs and then show them to the various nighttime inhabitants of the local neighbourhood. For example, two lizards have just married – and want a souvenir that will last them a lifetime. Whatever could they want? I do wonder.
Much of the game’s appeal is down to the visuals. Deep purples and hues of blue are in abundance here. These colours act as a backdrop to the silhouetted designs of the characters. All this combines to create an almost cardboard shadow puppet vibe. Character designs are well-designed, and our main protagonist is just about as cute as a little bat can be. In particular, they hang upside down when climbing across things.
Bite-sized bat action
Batography is a short but sweet game – so brief that I probably spent more time writing this article than actually playing it, which is fine. This is a case of quality over quantity. There are also 12 achievements, most relatively easy to obtain. It’s a reasonably easy completion for those who like that sort of thing, although not a pull for everyone. Controls are simple, and there are even button prompts when the character is close to an object that can be interacted with. Combined with the price, this would be a great entry-level game for the younger audience.
If you want a bit more behind-the-scenes information on how Batography was made, check out my interview with Martin Stradling here.