Silly Polly maybe but not a Beast
Sometimes, you fire up a game and within ten minutes you’re thinking, “I have absolutely no idea what’s going on, but I’m kinda into it.” That’s Silly Polly Beast in a nutshell. Honestly that has been more than a few games that I have reviewed this year, but I digress. It’s a surreal horror-action hybrid where a runaway orphan girl escapes one nightmare only to land in another all the while beating up creatures with a skateboard. Yep, you read that right. Yeah, it’s weird. But it’s the good kind of weird. Most of the time.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
Players will take control of Polly, a girl trying to make sense of a world swallowed by fog and fear. Equipped with a glowing bracelet that lights up when dangers nearby. It’s part fairy tale, part fever dream, and part “wait, what just happened?” The narrative drips with atmosphere but doesn’t always deliver on clarity. The opening hours are a great mix of eerie, stylish, and unsettling in all the right ways. But the deeper you go, the more the story leans on vibes instead of coherence. You’ll get flashes of meaning and bursts of emotion, but don’t expect a neat bow by the end. Still, credit where it’s due: Silly Polly Beast nails the mood. It feels like a dark bedtime story whispered through static.
Alright, so here’s the hook; Silly Polly Beast doesn’t play like much else out there. One moment it’s a side-scrolling horror game. The next, it’s top-down. Then suddenly you’re skateboarding and smacking monsters in the face while shooting them with a revolver. I know how that sounds, but somehow it works; mostly. Combat has a tight rhythm. Dodging, managing stamina, and swapping between melee and ranged attacks feels tense. When you get into the groove, it’s genuinely fun. But the margin for error is small, and stamina drains faster than my patience these days. Miss a dodge, and you’re probably done.
The resource economy is harsh too. Ammo and healing items are limited, forcing you to play smart. I don’t mind that kind of pressure, but some players may find it a tad punishing. The constant switching of gameplay styles keeps things interesting, though sometimes it feels like the game can’t decide what it wants to be. Still, I’ll take ambition over repetition any day. If nothing else, Silly Polly Beast knows how to make an impression. Visually, it’s striking; all fog, shadow, and strange geometry. Every area feels like it’s been pulled out of a dream you half-remember. The art direction carries the game even when the pacing falters.
When it’s firing on all cylinders, Silly Polly Beast can be a blast. The combat feels good, the world is fascinating enough, and the overall tone sticks with you. It’s the kind of game that rewards curiosity the type that you keep pushing forward just to see what bizarre thing it throws at you next. That being said though the experience feels uneven. A few segments drag, while others frustrate, and a few just feel unfinished. Even with those hiccups, I can’t deny I had fun. Not consistent fun, but enough of it to make me glad I gave it a shot.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
