The show must go on…
Puppeteer is a charming game about a puppet named Kutaro who is one of a long-line of children who have been turned into puppets and their energy taken by an evil king. Kutaro seems to be the one to break the cycle and bring peace to the world, but can he do it and overcome incredibly odds?
Kutaro’s original head is destroyed by the evil king and soon he finds he can attach new heads onto his puppet body, each of which has abilities to get through the game which is set on a theatrical stage. The game supports Move but it is entirely optional as is the 2 player option, but it is necessary for those who want to earn all the game’s trophies.
Early on in the game, Kutaro steals the evil king’s magic scissors which can cut through many of the game’s obstacles and it is a relatively easy game as you only die when you lose all your heads, but you can grab ones that fall off for instant recovery. There are a few challenging parts, but overall it’s a breeze albeit an enjoyable one. The platforming controls like that of LittleBigPlanet’s Sackboy so you know what to expect there, but the abilities you get via the puppet heads is intuitive and a nice change of pace from traditional platformers.
The art style is also unique and a welcome one. Visually, the game looks great and while it doesn’t make the most of the hardware, does well in providing a charming look and decent framerate. Voice-acting is brilliant too and the game is genuinely funny while the music is epic and enchanting at the same time.
The Verdict
Puppeteer is a great swan song for the PS3 with a gripping story, decent platforming mechanics and memorable characters. It’s a game that is great fun for older and younger gamers alike, which is a rarity these days so I’d recommend checking it out.
