Puppeteer
Overview -
Back in the summer of 2012, Sony introduced 'Puppeteer,' an all-new IP that was part platformer and part art show, and all from Sony's Japan Studio. In that introduction, the world met the game's hero, the puppet-like Kutaro. Since that first reveal, Sony further explained that 'Puppeteer' was where East meets West, at least as far as the style of the game was concerned. Now that the game is out, just what sort of game has Sony made?
Video Review
In the beginning of the game, the levels are built around the black castle and just look crummy, especially when compared to many later, more colorful levels. That said, when the game looks its best, the unique style is a stunner. The amount of detail that goes into some levels is staggering. Whether it is cloth blowing in the wind, or the giant paper mammoth defrosting in the background, or just the little Kutaro head animations, the craftsmanship is the game's stand-out feature. Even the level select moon thing is visually interesting. Still, there are too many moments when the spotlights, scene gears, and blocky, papercraft figures don't gel, and the result is an unfortunate thin line between beauty and something far less attractive.
 |
Audio Review
The theater theme plays well with surround channels. The constant voice acting projects at a very high quality despite its grating content. Otherwise, the sound effects of moving props become burned in after a few levels. Often, the ding of recapturing a lost head was my only indication that I had instantly lost and regained the head. The music emulates an orchestra while eschewing anything catchy. Overall, the audio is less than memorable and is lost in game's struggle to present an unpleasant puppet show.
I was so excited to get to play a new, promising platformer, but I can't think of another game where so much hard, talented work was wasted. The shame is that a smaller version of 'Puppeteer' that boiled away the dialog, and the lesser, repetitive levels could have made for a stellar $15 game. Maybe in the future, Sony can return to 'Puppeteer' on the PS4 with a greater focus on gameplay and overall quality experience.
 |
