| Island Saver | |
| Developer: | Stormcloud Games |
| Publisher: | National Westminster Bank |
| Producer: | Frank Arnot |
| Programmer: | Andy West |
| Artist: | Pat McGovern |
| Composer: | Euphonious |
| Released: | 13 May 2020 |
| Engine: | Unity |
| Modes: | Single-player |
Island Saver is a free-to-play action-adventure game developed by Scottish[1] studio Stormcloud Games and published by National Westminster Bank. It was released on Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 13 May 2020.
The game's objective is to traverse an island. New areas can be unlocked by spending in-game coins. These coins are obtained by cleaning up litter, cleaning up goop and in turn saving the bankimals—animals that can balloon up with coins like a piggy bank. As the game progresses, the player learns about the fundamentals of using a bank account, in addition to related topics such as the concept of paying taxes. Two downloadable expansions are available with the proceeds going towards the charities SpecialEffect and Young Money.[2] [3]
NatWest aimed to create an educational video game to teach children about managing money responsibly.[4]
The game received a positive review from TheXBoxHub, with a 3.5/5 rating, and the reviewer commented "it plays well, looks all cute and cuddly, teaches kids about money and it’s free to download."[5] Gamespew praised the educational elements of the game, "How exactly does Island Saver teach children about money? Well, every action you complete has a clear reward. [...] It’s about balancing your earning vs spending, and not going too mad on those non-essential purchases."[6] Gamepitt gave the game a 9/10 rating and was also positive with regards to the graphics and educational elements.[7]
Other reviews were critical of the game; Evan Norris of VGChartz wrote "Island Saver is not a good game but, considering its raison d'être, it could be worse." He criticised the platforming and combat features of the game, describing the latter as a 'chore' and the controls as 'clumsy'.[8] Jonjo Cosgrove also criticised the gameplay and called it 'tedious' and closed with the comment "[''Island Saver'' is a] thoughtful game with little to no staying value beyond an initial play."[9] A review on TheXboxHub lamented the game's lack of a two-player option and said that the game "does get repetitive after a while".[5]
Tie-in activity sheets were added to MoneySense section of NatWest's website.[10]