The indie scene has been kicking some major bum bum lately. It seems like every time I become disillusioned with the whole modern gaming thing, a new indie gem comes along and restores my faith in the medium. This week my saviour came in the form of sexy 2D clone 'em up The Swapper.
At first glance, one would be forgiven for thinking that The Swapper was some sort of Metroid spin-off – what with its sprawling, intricate map and creepy alien aesthetic. It is however, a clever puzzle-platformer in the same vein as Braid or Portal. Players take the role of an unnamed space dude (or dudette) who, whilst abandoned on the space station Theseus, acquires a tasty little device known as the Swapper Gun. This poorly named contraption allows users to create up to four clones of themselves which move in tandem with the creator – those five pressure plates that you laughed at on the way in are now practically begging to be trodden upon. As if that wasn’t enough, the Swapper also lets you trade bodies with any clones in your line of sight, meaning the game’s puzzles are more about getting positions just right and making sure you leave yourself enough space to swap.
It’s not long before the game smacks you in the face and yells “No! You are having too much fun, here are some lights that will make the game harder and ting.” The Swapper’s strategy for tougher puzzling comes in the form of red and blue beams of light which limit the user’s abilities considerably. Blue lights kill the cloning, while red lights silence the swapping, it’s a simple idea that sets up some of the more enjoyable puzzles, but unfortunately also serves to make the game’s story and setting more and more unbelievable. There is, for example, absolutely no reason for the puzzle rooms to exist within the context of the narrative, and there is no valid reason why the Swapper Gun should be limited in the luminance of the two most popular coloured bulbs on-board.
It’s a real shame too because there are flashes of brilliance throughout the story. Are your clones real, self-aware versions of you? Or are they merely meat sacks for you to occupy and then dispose of. Are you yourself a clone? The game throws up many questions throughout its relatively short life span and thankfully, it doesn’t attempt to answer them all, opting instead to allow players to make their own assumptions.
Graphically, The Swapper is simply outstanding. Boasting real, hand crafted environments and impressive lighting, the game is an absolute joy to behold. The perverse, crooked architecture coupled together with the stunningly morose piano score calls to mind old European Claymation movies, like The Wrong Trousers or Chicken Run.
My first playthrough lasted around three hours -- a disappointingly short length for a fourteen euro game – but they were three highly enjoyable three hours nonetheless. I have my issues with the implementation of the puzzles, but again, it’s easy to forgive when solving them is so much fun. Basically, if you enjoy getting your puzzle on, then you should definitely check out The Swapper.... Just maybe wait until the Summer sales to do so.
The Swapper is a puzzle-platformer packed full of mystery, developed by Facepalm Games. Set deep in outer space on an abandoned research station, you play as a female protagonist exploring some strange goings on around said station. She quickly discovers a strange Swapper Device, which was at the centre of controversy prior to whatever has happened here, allowing her to project several animated clones of herself and control their movements.
A video review of The Swapper on Xbox One looking at the how the game fares as part of the ID@Xbox program.
Neil writes "Occasionally a game comes along that has won so many awards that it would just be criminal to not give it a little look. The Swapper has a medals list as long as your arm and now, with it’s arrival on Xbox One, it can be opened up to a whole new world of trophies and achievements."
It says you can do "puzzles using little brain power" and that is rather appealing!
I couldn't finish it, I got pretty far, must be near the end, some of melted my brain
I'm not one of these people that would find the answers on Youtube, i'll go back to it one day and will probably do it on my first attempt
Yeah I'm the same, Youtube is always a last resort for puzzlers before they send me insane.
I actually found some of the puzzles pretty damn clever/difficult..
Its also really quite atmospheric and creepy if you dwell on the story. :)
Loved this game. Like a weird combination of an Aardman cartoon and H.R. Giger. So atmospheric, challenging, and one of the most interesting worlds I had the pleasure to meander in.
