Beasts of Maravilla Island Gameplay Preview – Dora goes into a jungle

Beasts of Maravilla Island is a game where you explore a magical island through the lens of a camera.

You play the role of Marina Montez. Her grandfather has passed away, leaving Marina with his journal of Maravilla and his trusty camera. Using the notes found in the journal, your goal is to explore and take pictures to record the fantastical beauty of nature and help save the island.

The game starts with Marina being dropped off on the island of Maravilla. The game lets you explore the island freely and take photographs of the fauna and flora. There are some very light puzzles to solve in order to progress to the next area. For example, in the first area you need to take photos of the Binkeys singing. There is a short mini game where you mimic the sounds of the Binkey’s with your whistles to coax out their singing.

The general game play loop is very straight forward. You goal is to take all of the photographs in your objectives list, which can be accessed from the journal. The subjects are usually plants, insects, animals, and animals taking certain actions, like the Binkeys singing as discussed previously. Aside from the occasional simple puzzle, the game is pure exploration and observation. It can get a little bit repetitive and stale for those looking for new mechanics or a sense of progression.

Overall, Beasts of Maravilla Island is a decent photography game. While the world does look great and is fun to explore, some parts feel a little too repetitive and samey. While the game does have its charm, it does lack some polish as well, making the overall experience feel a bit rough.