A creature feared by the locals, because you’ve been gone long enough for them to have mythologised you. The co-op content is fun but brief, and it would’ve been nice if there were some kind of persistent “younger sibling” co-op made available in the standard story mode as well, a la Sonic and Tails.Is a platforming puzzle game in which you play The Beast. You can select from nine co-op levels, as well as a simple competitive sport where two players compete in a goofy form of basketball with a watermelon (a game which is briefly featured in the main quest as well). Speaking of young people, they’d probably also get a kick out of the few multiplayer modes available to players from the title screen. While the writing might seem skewed to adults and/or appreciators of nuanced sarcasm, Pikuniku makes for a wonderful experience for children and young people as well, and there’s nothing worrisome or dark to uncover - certainly nothing darker than a downcast episode of Adventure Time. Piku itself is an adorable creature, eyes blinking blankly or staring in horror when falling from a tall height (there’s no fall-damage, by the way), harmlessly kicking characters around, and even able to bop along to the upbeat soundtrack when pressing the X button at any time. A rhythm game may suddenly arise, or an opportunity to draw your very own scarecrow’s face, and these non-platforming surprises almost always lead to another smart joke or absurdist interlude. Those are three fun-filled hours, though, with Pikuniku’s sharp writing, superb comic timing, and mostly enjoyable moments of interaction.
There’s a point in the story when Piku ends up joining up with a few other characters which feels like the early portion of a JRPG, when all character slots are finally filled and the meat of the game lies ahead, but here there’s barely an hour more of content following this specific story turn. It’s more a matter of Pikuniku’s structure, though, and the richer adventure hinted at by the developing notes of the plot. Unfortunately, a focused player can gobble up the main story content in as little as three hours or less, which is admittedly reasonable for a low-cost game (retail price on the Nintendo Switch is expected to be $12.99). Look closely at the game’s trailer and you’ll notice that it reveals the lion’s share of a complete Pikuniku play-through, even late-game content, all of which seems incredibly rich and diverse when framed as a minute-long montage. Essentially, there’s a villainous presence behind the goings-on of the denizens of Piku’s world (which itself seems to make some light commentary about capitalism and the passive ignorance of the masses), but there’s very little to uncover before the whole experience draws to a close. The campaigning around the release of the game mentions something about a grand conspiracy at the center of the story, but it’s far less elaborate than that implies. Bolstering it all is a catchy and upbeat soundtrack which, while well-crafted, never quite reaches the iconic, ear-worming heights of something like Katamari Damacy, but it's certainly trying for a similar characterful playfulness.
The animation in particular is pitch-perfect, everything from Piku’s scampering lanky legs catching step at the last moment, to some precisely timed facial expressions that greatly amplify the humor of the storytelling. The graphics are low on detail but high on charm, with weirdly-shaped bulbous characters pacing back and forth through environments that could have been crafted with construction paper by a kindergarten class. Pikuniku tries to juggle a few a things at once, combining a task-oriented adventure game, some cheerful low-stakes platforming, a smattering of mini-games and trivial boss fights, and a hugely entertaining script. Related: PokerStars VR Early Access Preview: Cards and Chaos With Strangers Upon emergence, the nearby townsfolk are terrified of the clearly adorable and simplistically designed little red oval shape with gangly legs, and the game’s early quest sees you attempting to broker trust with the terrified pear-shaped people, fixing what you can and trying to improve the town’s way of life, cast under the shadow of a clearly nefarious mega-corporation. Piku lies dormant and secure in a cave, waking up to its Platonic quest of escape.
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