Once Upon A Puppet

About

Once Upon A Puppet is a single player casual platformer game. It was developed by Flatter Than Earth and was released on April 23, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Once Upon a Puppet is a 2.5D puzzle-platformer set in a vibrant theatrical world, where you control Nieve, an exiled Stagehand, and Drev, a magically bound Puppet. Master puppet mechanics to solve puzzles, uncover forgotten stories, and confront shadowy enemies while exploring themes of friendship, self-discovery, and redemption.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 38 reviews

story12 positive mentions

atmosphere2 negative mentions

The game features exquisite 3D graphics, a charming art style, and beautiful sound design that enhance the overall experience.
The story is engaging and emotional, providing a magical fairytale atmosphere that keeps players invested.
Gameplay is enjoyable with a mix of puzzles and platforming, making it a relaxing and cozy experience.

The game suffers from some bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, requiring restarts or reloads at times.
Combat mechanics are simplistic and can feel frustrating, with issues like poor hit detection and enemy feedback.
The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content for the price.

story
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
45%
11%
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth, character development, and engaging narrative, with many players appreciating the balance of predictability and unexpected twists. The visuals and atmosphere complement the storytelling, creating a captivating experience that encourages exploration and reflection. While some found the narrative lengthy, the overall consensus highlights the story as a standout feature that enhances the gameplay.
- “As the story unfolds, you learn who you really are.”
- “The main characters especially go through a tumultuous adventure, telling a beautiful story with some great character development and growth.”
- “The cut scenes pretty much clear up the story as well, so I kind of didn't see a point in reading them.”
- “The story was to die for, sad, but kept you wanting to continue to find out the truth.”
- “On the plus side: I loved everything about this game: the exquisite 3D graphics, mechanical/physics-based solutions to moving on, and the basic storyline (though it got laborious reading the novel-long narrative).”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
47%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their exquisite 3D design, unique art style, and impressive level of detail. Players appreciate the harmonious blend of visuals and sound design, which enhances the overall atmospheric experience. Many reviewers rate the graphics as outstanding, often highlighting the handcrafted artwork and character design as standout features.
- “I was greeted by lovingly crafted characters, beautiful soundtracks, extraordinary level design, and a very special art style.”
- “The visuals and sound design in this game are nothing short of inspired.”
- “The way the music and sound wrap together with the handcrafted artwork is really quite breathtaking.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is praised for its exquisite 3D graphics, easy controls, and engaging mechanics, though it lacks challenge and depth in puzzles. While players enjoyed the mix of puzzles and platforming, some noted a decline in enjoyment due to bugs and a desire for more varied gameplay elements. Overall, the experience is enjoyable but could benefit from additional content and complexity.
- “The story is good, great graphics, and the mechanics/controls are very easy to work with.”
- “While lacking a bit in terms of challenge or puzzles, the gameplay was still simple yet engaging.”
- “The gameplay is good with a nice mix of puzzles, platforms, and runners.”
- “I enjoyed playing the game, but unfortunately the gameplay does fall off quite a bit as you go, especially when the bugs start messing with your progress.”
- “Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for gameplay.”
- “Gameplay-wise, I hope to see more puzzles where the hand and the puppet have distinct and different roles that need to be coordinated.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and integration with the overall experience, enhancing the handcrafted artwork and storytelling. Players appreciate the beautiful soundtracks and sound design, which contribute significantly to the game's enjoyment and immersion. Overall, the music is considered a standout aspect that elevates the indie game to a remarkable level.
- “The music was on point at every turn!”
- “Every level, asset, story beat, and piece of music is of a surprisingly high quality for an indie game, thus I played the entire game within one day with a few lengthy play sessions.”
- “The music and sound design in general also made the game enjoyable to sit through, maybe I'll pick up the supporter pack later down the line if it goes on sale?”
- “The way the music and sound wrap together with the handcrafted artwork is really quite breathtaking.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its fitting art style and narrative depth, effectively complementing the story and enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the immersive visuals and the unique theatrical presentation, making it a captivating journey through its puppet-themed world.
- “This is much more of a narrative, atmospheric experience that you play through while enjoying the visuals, story, and surprise events.”
- “The atmosphere is very fitting for the story, and the art direction hits the nail on the head for a theater with puppets!”
- “If you like the art style or atmosphere in the trailer or pictures, I would say give it a try.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report experiencing minor lags and glitches, but these issues are generally manageable with workarounds, such as switching between mouse and controller. While some glitches are present, they are not significant enough to detract from the overall experience.
- “Other minor lags and glitches pestered me throughout, but I was able to find a workaround (sometimes using the mouse over the controller).”
- “Although I came across a few glitches, they were very minor.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is highlighted as a strong point, with main characters experiencing significant growth throughout their tumultuous journey, complemented by well-executed puppet designs that enhance the overall storytelling.
- “The whole vibe of a stage play with puppets is pulled off very well, not only with the aforementioned locales but also the character designs themselves.”
- “The main characters especially go through a tumultuous adventure, telling a beautiful story with some great character development and growth.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be a heartwarming journey, immersing them in a captivating fairytale that evokes strong emotional responses.
- “It's a truly wholesome experience to be swept away into this exciting fairytale.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is generally viewed positively, with users suggesting that it offers an impressive performance that justifies its price, especially if purchased at a discount.
- “I would say depending on your budget, either pick this up at full price or if you can get it for a steep discount, at which point it's easily worth it if you're up for an unforgettable performance!”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the humor in the game to be hit or miss, with some moments, like the character's naivety, eliciting laughter, but overall, opinions on the comedic elements are mixed.
- “Though I thought the naive one was funny, overall, if I could rate this...”

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77%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions

Once Upon A Puppet is a casual platformer game.

Once Upon A Puppet is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

Once Upon A Puppet was released on April 23, 2025.

Once Upon A Puppet was developed by Flatter Than Earth.

Once Upon A Puppet has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Once Upon A Puppet is a single player game.

Similar games include South of Midnight, The Midnight Walk, Neva, GRIS, The Way and others.

Once Upon A Puppet

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