Pikuniku (2019)

Aside from the fact that this game looks like it could have been completely made in Adobe Illustrator, the surprisingly cute and simple story gives quite the direct message against capitalism in a dystopic setting. But really, it's fun, it's silly, and it's got one hell of a catchy soundtrack.

It might not seem like a very noteworthy game at first, but if you're looking to have some laughs and entertainment for quite a bit of time (it took me around 10 hours to complete it, and I'm still thinking about putting in a few more hours to get all the achievements), I'd say this one's your pick. It is bizarre for, like, 80% of the game, but you quickly learn to accept it in the end.

And the best mechanic it has? You can go around kicking everything that does (or doesn't—it's up to you!) move. I don't think it can get any better than that!

As players we are usually quite mean in the videogames, aren't we? We destroy clay pots, crates, shoot and kick living things... because it is fun. But no game made me feel as bad for my rude behaviour as Pikuniku did. And I feel that this is the game's main theme.

The world of Pikuniku is adorable. The colors and art direction paint style that resembles cute japanese cartoons. The game is very easy, but what makes it special are all the silly and brilliantly written dialogues and encounters that are weaved in quite thoughtful story.

The story itself has, by contrast, a more serious tone. It describes a society of naive and clueless folks that are being exploited by an evil corporation that is taking their crops and destroying the enviroment. You join the group of rebels and help them bring the evil capitalist to the knees. The whole story is really well told in ironic and comical way. Some gags almost felt too real as they reflect thinking of the masses in real world.

The game unsurprisingly ends on a positive note. The good beats evil and everyone is happy.

However, for the most npcs, life doesn't change after you have saved everyone from being killed by a man made disaster. They seemingly dont even care that you have just saved everybody. Some don't even like you. But who cares really. What matters are the small interactios that you make with the people. Whether you helped someone or just being kind enough to not destroy their pots.

I love this wholesome game. It is as optimistic as it is weirdly realistic. I would love to see more games like this. I warmly recommend.

Pikuniku derrière son nom aux consonances japonaises est le bébé du studio franco-britannique Sectordub (cocorico). Derrière son ambiance adorable et ses graphismes colorées et minimalistes se cachent une parodie (pas toujours subtile) de la société de consommation et un humour pince-sans-rire et premier degré désopilant.

Le plateformer est construit autour d'une physique altérée où vous déplacez un bonhomme sans bras. Chaque zone va avoir ses propres petites mécaniques pour avancer: se balancer à des anneaux, faire pousser des plateformes fleurs, résoudre des casse-têtes... Le tout entre-coupé de mini jeux pour la plupart totalement facultatifs et donc forcément indispensables !

Le jeu est court mais généreux. Il se parcourt sans grande difficulté, certains challenge facultatifs (temples) sont inspirés des die and retry mais ne poseront clairement pas de difficulté insurmontable. Les seuls difficultés que j'ai rencontré pendant mon aventure étaient liés au moteurs physiques (lâcher le stick pour appuyer sur le bouton saut de sorte à sauter plus haut est clairement pas ergonomique).

Cela reste une aventure très sympa à parcourir ! Je suis triste de ne pas avoir pu essayé les niveaux en co-op locale.

Roll Credits?: Yes!

Surprised/Let Down/As Expected: Surprised

Favorite Mechanic or Narrative Moment: The comedic cadence and writing as a whole are great. It is also just the right length, and seems to have plenty of little things you can do for fun. Overall a super lighthearted and genuinely fun time

Least Favorite Thing: Mechanics are technically bare bones; not a lot of innovation as far as gameplay goes. It mostly relies on the story and writing

Help a colorful collection of shapes and odd creatures overthrow a capitalist venture while wearing funny hats & glasses.

A short but enjoyable puzzle platformer. I found a few of the puzzles to be cryptic, but not unmanageable. The two big ones were figuring out how to fix the bridge at the beginning, and how to collect everything from the vents near the end.

The physics/controls are well implemented, and generally forgiving. Hidden sections of the game also provide users with additional checkpoints in case the need to rage quit arises. The expected "combat" was found to be a bit frustrating as well.

ENG

It's an entertaining and fun game, based on exploration, puzzles, and platforms. It has a simple adventure that can be completed in about three hours however, you'll definitely return to find out more secrets. This game has no difficulty at all and it's full of silly situations that will make you smile.

ESP

Es un juego entretenido y divertido, basado en la exploración, los puzles, y las plataformas. Tiene una aventura ligera que puedes completar en unas tres horas aunque querrás volver para descubrir más secretos. Este juego no tiene ninguna dificultad y está repleto de situaciones absurdas que te sacarán una sonrisa.

I have a bad habit of subconsciously assuming that games I see frequently on sale or given away for free must be mediocre. Case in point, Pikuniku, a game I've owned for over a year but didn't bother playing till now.

Better late than never, because Pikuniku is a delightful and humorous little narrative platformer! Its movement is quirky yet fun, the characters are endearing, it's chock-full of surprising little secrets, and it doesn't overstay its welcome. Its gameplay reminded me a bit of Loco Roco, its writing of Wandersong. Don't sleep on this one like I did, especially if it's already in your backlog!

Pikuniku is a really simple 2D platform done right. The controls are really responsible and feel natural, which is something that is hard to get right and can easily ruin a platform game. The game looks really nice with how simple and colorful the design is without being overly simplistic. The story can be really silly sometimes but not to a degree where it gets hard to grasp for younger audiences.

This last point is important: It is a platform for younger audiences. Do not expect to be challenged by the game. The jumps and platforms will give you a reasonable margin for mistakes and there is almost no way to fail in the main story save for bosses that are quite simple and will allow you to try again as many times as needed. For the most part, the game focuses more on the exploration of the locations, solving simple side-quests, puzzles and mini-games and following the main story. The optional locations have more challenges and perils but should still be doable for young children while not being required for the main story.

In short, for what it sets out to be this game was executed amazingly. If you are an adult looking for a fun and stress-free experience I highly recommend this game. If you are a parent looking for an entry game for young children this can also be a great choice. However, if you want something challenging this is not the game for you.

A cute little physics platformer that is also a fun denunciation of post-capitalism. Not tremendously long but it hits a sweet spot of never wearing out its welcome and always being charming.

I will say the final "boss battle" is very very annoying and does not feel skill-based like I think it is aiming for. Or perhaps I am too old for this game because the response time required is WiLd!

I did everything but the co-op stuff. I mostly enjoyed my time in this world.