Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Friends (Always Stick Together) delivers a refreshing twist on cooperative platforming by putting you in control of two unlikely allies: the hare and the tortoise offspring. Instead of switching between characters, you guide both simultaneously—steering them together with the mouse cursor as the hare carries the tortoise on his shoulders. This mechanic feels intuitive from the first moment, and it creates a continuous, flowing motion that demands both precision and foresight.

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While the hare navigates left and right to avoid snakes and pitfalls, the tortoise mans a pea-shooter that you aim with vertical mouse movements. Clicking fires projectiles that knock succulent fruit from branches and trigger hostile birds into dropping their eggs prematurely. Those eggs become tactical tools when they bounce onto snakes below, adding a playful puzzle element to every stretch of terrain. The interplay between movement and shooting keeps your attention locked in—and your reflexes tested.

The challenge ramps up steadily across the game’s varied environments. Early stages introduce you to basic obstacles, but later levels demand tight teamwork: precise positioning to catch falling fruit, split-second shots to neutralize birds, and evasive maneuvers around faster, more cunning snakes. Leaderboards and time-trial modes extend replayability, inviting speedrunners to perfect each level’s route and juggle resources under pressure. Overall, the core gameplay loop feels both novel and endlessly engaging.

Graphics

Friends (Always Stick Together) sports a vibrant, storybook-inspired art style that immediately draws you into its world. The character models of the young hare and tortoise are charmingly expressive, with smooth animations that highlight their contrasting personalities—nimble hops from the hare, slow-and-steady lunges from the tortoise. Backgrounds are painted in lush, pastel hues, evoking enchanted forests, rolling meadows, and ancient ruins.

Attention to detail shines through in the particle effects and environmental interactions. Each pea shot kicks up wisps of dust on impact, fruit shimmers before dropping, and bird feathers flutter realistically before the bombardier birds teleport away. Even the snakes slithering beneath your feet cast dynamic shadows that shift with your lighting. These subtle touches enrich every play session, making the world feel alive rather than static.

Performance is rock-solid on a wide range of systems. Whether you’re running on a high-end gaming PC or a modest laptop, frame rates stay steady and load times remain brief. UI elements are cleanly presented, with intuitive icons showing ammo count, fruit tally, and current stage progress. Altogether, the graphics strike an excellent balance between aesthetic polish and practical readability.

Story

Rooted in Aesop’s timeless fable, the narrative centers on the next generation of the tortoise and the hare, who choose friendship over inherited rivalry. From the opening cutscene—where the duo embarks on their grand expedition—you sense the developers’ intent to celebrate cooperation and trust. This theme is reinforced through in-game dialogue, environmental storytelling, and milestone celebrations whenever you overcome a particularly tricky section.

Each level serves as a chapter in the pair’s journey, revealing bits of their personalities: the hare’s playful exuberance balanced by the tortoise’s calm determination. Animated vignettes between stages offer lighthearted moments, like the hare teasing the tortoise about his slow pace, only for the tortoise to save the day with a well-timed shot. These character beats feel genuine rather than forced, adding emotional weight to your successes and failures alike.

While the overarching plot remains straightforward—navigate hazards, collect fruit, outwit snakes and birds—the game sprinkles in lore about their world’s history, hinting at other animal families and ancient mysteries. Optional collectibles unlock journal entries, expanding on side characters and past adventures. Though not mandatory for progression, these extras will delight completionists who crave deeper narrative context.

Overall Experience

At its heart, Friends (Always Stick Together) is a celebration of teamwork embodied through inventive mechanics, charming visuals, and a heartfelt story. Whether you tackle it solo—mastering the mental coordination of dual-character control—or play alongside a friend in local co-op (one player steers movement, the other handles shooting), the experience remains consistently rewarding.

The game strikes an ideal balance between accessibility and challenge. Newcomers will appreciate the gentle learning curve and forgiving checkpoints, while veteran platformer fans will relish the later stages’ precision demands. Optional modes such as time trials and fruit-collecting challenges further extend its lifespan without feeling tacked on.

From the moment you watch the hare hoist the tortoise skyward to the final triumphant leap across perilous gaps, Friends (Always Stick Together) keeps you engaged with its playful synergy of action and strategy. It’s a title that families can enjoy together, speedrunners can master, and anyone who values creativity in game design will find thoroughly delightful. If you’re seeking a cooperative adventure that truly lives up to its name, this is a journey worth embarking on.

Retro Replay Score

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