Charming. That’s the first word that immediately comes to mind to describe this 2D puzzle-platformer (with the emphasis firmly on puzzle). The minimalist pixel art and animations, the adorable robot protagonist and their dog, the quiet melody of ludonarrative harmony, and the sense of cognitive compassion at the core of its beautiful, beating heart — all of it is utterly charming. It’s the type of game that when you turn it on, it’s like seeing an old friend.
I often found myself simply looking at the screen, soaking in the comforting visuals, and relaxing to the soothingly tinkly music before my playing partner and best friend – or, to give her her legal designation, my wife – reminded me that we had puzzles to solve. And what delightfully tricky and intricate puzzles they are! The art might be minimalist, but the puzzles most certainly aren’t.
Playing as an unnamed robot (we named our new robot buddy Bert), you must navigate your way across single-screen islands using mysterious orbs to solve puzzles. These orbs can be absorbed by the robot protagonist (hereafter referred to as ‘Bert’), and when Bert dies — say, by falling on some pesky spikes — they are transformed into a block, which is then left on that exact spot, ready to be used on your next attempt. In this way, you can successfully negotiate a previously untraversable obstacle. In short, every failure ultimately leads to success, and theme and gameplay merge beautifully in this thoughtful little tale of psychological resilience.
There are several different types of orbs to collect as you progress through the islands, each of which has different properties. They become mini-platforms you can jump on; some are moveable, while others transform into trampolines. Each level requires you to figure out what combination of orbs is needed — and where exactly you need to fail — in order to ultimately reach your beloved dog. Our best dog friend is called Yama, by the way, which is Japanese for ‘mountain’. She likes hanging out on difficult-to-reach cliff edges for some strange reason. Failure thus always creates opportunities, new pathways to traverse pits, spikes, lasers and other environmental obstacles.
Each level is quite a brainteaser. It’s not an easy game. The puzzling also spills out into the overworld hub area: getting to the next portal is in itself a little challenge (there are 9-11 levels in each of the five main portals, as well as some secrets to discover). You often have to think quite a few moves ahead, especially on later levels. It can sometimes feel a bit like a game of chess. However, it’s a very readable game, and we never got frustrated. Stumped, sure. Some levels took us five minutes, some the best part of an hour. But this is not the kind of game one can get angry at. (Although the hint system, currently in development, will be a welcome addition).
The ability to zoom out, in order to get a look at the whole level, is an excellent and most helpful touch. (And a very cool feature, which put us in mind of Fez, traces of whose DNA are present elsewhere in Fail Fail Succeed). The environment itself, in conjunction with the specific orbs placed on each level, tell a secret story that will help you solve the traversal riddle subtly embedded within them.
It’s a game that adheres to trial-and-error logic. It makes beautiful sense once you know how to read it. It’s a tender-hearted little world where reason and an understandable and benevolently binding set of rules hold sway. Unlike our own world. The game thus provides escape, but it is also very wise. Hopefully I’ll carry its whispered wisdom back into the world with me, where ‘failure’ is all-too often viewed with considerably less nuance, and the pursuit of success can degenerate into cruelty and selfishness. The path to success in this game is considerably kinder and much more humane.
The art and presentation are immaculate in every area of the game. Bert’s animations are delightful, especially when he’s moving blocks. I also love Yama’s forever wagging tail and her bond with Bert. (Without giving too much away, I strongly suggest that you immediately go into the settings menu, where there’s a lovely surprise awaiting you).
The starry backdrops on each of the islands are dreamy, like scenery on a theatre stage, and the winsome sound design (gentle synths and lovingly retro sound effects) reinforces the sense of serenity and calm. The different platform-based landscapes are simple and full of quiet nostalgia for another era of video games. I found it such a comforting game world to immerse myself in, snuggled safe and sound in its pixelated embrace.
I also appreciated the statistics provided at the end of each level: how long it took us to complete it, how many transformations we used, and how many times we ‘failed’, not to mention the heartening reminder that we succeeded in the end. A life lesson that’s definitely worth absorbing.
