Silly Polly Beast is one of those rare indie horror games that swings for the fences. Built by solo dev AnjiGames, it blends an emotional narrative with multiple gameplay perspectives: downhill skateboarding, side-scrolling puzzles, top-down shooting, stealth, and even some light strategy.
That may sound like a chaotic mess, but surprisingly, it works. And beneath the experimental gameplay and genre-shifting mechanics lies a story that hits much harder than the title suggests.
Story: More Tragic Than Silly
You play as Polly, a mute orphan who escapes her orphanage and waits for her friends across the river. When they don’t show, you go searching only to fall into the Abyss, a nightmarish realm where you're greeted by a demon and a dog who promise help in return for their freedom.
As you descend further, the game peels back layers of Polly’s past and reveals the harrowing truths behind the orphanage. It’s not easy content, themes of grief, loss, and trauma are front and center, ane something more sinister later.
This is where Silly Polly Beast shines. The game doesn’t just tell a story, it often shows it. Through visual metaphors, environmental storytelling, and subtle scene direction, you’re left piecing together the truth. And yes, your choices affect how that truth unfolds.
Gameplay: Full of Ideas, But Not All Land
Gameplay is where Silly Polly Beast starts to show its cracks.
At launch, the difficulty was overtuned, but a patch has thankfully smoothed out most of that. Still, a few bosses feel unfair. And the weakest link by far? Melee combat.
Polly fights with a skateboard, and it’s… not great. Damage is low, combos are easily interrupted, and enemies dodge like pros. Every time I had to rely on the skateboard, it felt like a chore.
On the flip side, gunplay is a blast it feels tight and almost twin-stick-shooter-like. But because this is survival horror, ammo is scarce, forcing you into those awkward melee slaps more often than you'd like. Given the heavy rock music that kicks in during combat, I wish the game leaned more into the shooter side.
There’s also a stealth mechanic, but enemies have 360-degree vision. It’s more useful for positioning before a fight than for sneaking.
And then there's the multi-perspective design:
Top-down for combat and exploration.
Side-scrolling for puzzle-heavy areas.
Third-person for skateboarding escape segments.
It’s ambitious and more importantly, it works. Each perspective feels intentional and well-executed.
The puzzles are light and rarely frustrating, with the exception of one segment that involved frustrating backtracking (a map would’ve helped).
Ultimately, the gameplay feels like it could’ve gone further. The ideas are there, but the execution doesn’t always hit.
Graphics & Sound: The Real Stars
Artistically, this game is stunning. Not in a “photo-realistic” sense but in how it uses style, transitions, and visual storytelling to elevate the experience.
The game frequently shifts from 3D to 2.5D to 2D and each time, it’s used as a storytelling tool. Words appear on screen to reflect Polly’s internal state. The world warps to match her emotion. It’s smart, meaningful design.
The soundtrack also punches above its weight. Especially during combat, the music goes hard. Which again, makes me wish we had more ammo and more reasons to go loud
Final Verdict
Silly Polly Beast is far more than its quirky name suggests. It’s a bold, strange, emotionally resonant horror game that does things I haven’t seen elsewhere especially from a solo developer.
Yes, the combat is clunky. Yes, a few mechanics need polish. But the story and presentation are strong enough to carry the whole thing.
If you’re looking for something different, something heartfelt, something dark:
Yes. Silly Polly Beast is worth your time.
Silly Polly Beast is one of those rare indie horror games that swings for the fences. Built by solo dev AnjiGames, it blends an emotional narrative with multiple gameplay perspectives: downhill skateboarding, side-scrolling puzzles, top-down shooting, stealth, and even some light strategy.
That may sound like a chaotic mess, but surprisingly, it works. And beneath the experimental gameplay and genre-shifting mechanics lies a story that hits much harder than the title suggests.
Story: More Tragic Than Silly
You play as Polly, a mute orphan who escapes her orphanage and waits for her friends across the river. When they don’t show, you go searching only to fall into the Abyss, a nightmarish realm where you're greeted by a demon and a dog who promise help in return for their freedom.
As you descend further, the game peels back layers of Polly’s past and reveals the harrowing truths behind the orphanage. It’s not easy content, themes of grief, loss, and trauma are front and center, ane something more sinister later.
This is where Silly Polly Beast shines. The game doesn’t just tell a story, it often shows it. Through visual metaphors, environmental storytelling, and subtle scene direction, you’re left piecing together the truth. And yes, your choices affect how that truth unfolds.
Gameplay: Full of Ideas, But Not All Land
Gameplay is where Silly Polly Beast starts to show its cracks.
At launch, the difficulty was overtuned, but a patch has thankfully smoothed out most of that. Still, a few bosses feel unfair. And the weakest link by far? Melee combat.
Polly fights with a skateboard, and it’s… not great. Damage is low, combos are easily interrupted, and enemies dodge like pros. Every time I had to rely on the skateboard, it felt like a chore.
On the flip side, gunplay is a blast it feels tight and almost twin-stick-shooter-like. But because this is survival horror, ammo is scarce, forcing you into those awkward melee slaps more often than you'd like. Given the heavy rock music that kicks in during combat, I wish the game leaned more into the shooter side.
There’s also a stealth mechanic, but enemies have 360-degree vision. It’s more useful for positioning before a fight than for sneaking.
And then there's the multi-perspective design:
Top-down for combat and exploration.
Side-scrolling for puzzle-heavy areas.
Third-person for skateboarding escape segments.
It’s ambitious and more importantly, it works. Each perspective feels intentional and well-executed.
The puzzles are light and rarely frustrating, with the exception of one segment that involved frustrating backtracking (a map would’ve helped).
Ultimately, the gameplay feels like it could’ve gone further. The ideas are there, but the execution doesn’t always hit.
Graphics & Sound: The Real Stars
Artistically, this game is stunning. Not in a “photo-realistic” sense but in how it uses style, transitions, and visual storytelling to elevate the experience.
The game frequently shifts from 3D to 2.5D to 2D and each time, it’s used as a storytelling tool. Words appear on screen to reflect Polly’s internal state. The world warps to match her emotion. It’s smart, meaningful design.
The soundtrack also punches above its weight. Especially during combat, the music goes hard. Which again, makes me wish we had more ammo and more reasons to go loud
Final Verdict
Silly Polly Beast is far more than its quirky name suggests. It’s a bold, strange, emotionally resonant horror game that does things I haven’t seen elsewhere especially from a solo developer.
Yes, the combat is clunky. Yes, a few mechanics need polish. But the story and presentation are strong enough to carry the whole thing.
If you’re looking for something different, something heartfelt, something dark:
Yes. Silly Polly Beast is worth your time.
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