Gibbon: Beyond the Trees review – short, simple and lovely to play

PC, Nintendo Switch (version tested), iPhone/iPad; Broken Rules
A noble environmental message provides the basis for this delightfully uncomplicated adventure, but elements of performance are amiss

Lovely to play but sad to think about, this game follows three pastel-coloured gibbons from their natural treetop habitat through the lumber camps and human habitations that have been rapidly replacing it. It's neither long nor complicated, getting its point across with striking art that contrasts zoomed-out natural landscapes - gorges, jungles, waterfalls, against sunsets and morning skies, all crowded with trees and hanging vines and vegetation - with the movement and bustle of the towns, crowded with people and vehicles.

Simple controls have your endangered apes swinging from branch to branch - all you have to do is time it correctly and you'll build momentum and sail across the canopy, occasionally catching a boost from your buddy. Swinging free from trees and vines is much easier than climbing the buildings and power lines of the human environments, a neat illustration that underlines the game's message about habitat destruction and poaching.

Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is out now; 11.99 (or included with an Apple Arcade subscription)