Rolling Bear is an interactive poem about a hungry little bear that’s about to go out on its own to find some food. With a little help from you, hopefully.
You’re a small bear awakening from your slumber. All of the other bears have already gone out to get food, but as you were so small, you were left behind to sleep. It’s too dangerous, they said, for someone small like you. As you set out from there, you find out that the game is an interactive poem with some gameplay elements which will give you something bright, fun, and cheery to take up a small amount of your time. It’s like reading a poem while moving your bear around, allowing them to eat and grow. Movement is pretty linear, moving forwards and backwards on a specific path, which means it’s quite easy to follow. You’ll need to help your bear actually line up to eat the food, as movement has the wooden-looking bear roll instead of walk. Your head will need to be lined up with food for it to be consumed, and this will trigger more of the poem.
You can move forward and backwards, as well as hop, so if you really can’t grab food, you can just move on and return later. It’s a casual game, with no wrong way to play, no timer, no points – just a slowly-revealed poem about a bear growing bigger and bigger. And you do grow as you eat, becoming much bigger than the tiny bear that you were previously.
Rolling Bear is a lovely way to experience a poem – a game that I would play while having a break from work or drinking a cup of tea. It feels cozy and relaxing, with not a lot of challenge. There is more to the game than just moving forward, however, it’s not challenging enough to frustrate or break from the calm and beautiful feeling that I get when reading this adorable little poem.
Rolling Bear is available now on itch.io.
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