Pikuniku

It’s hard to talk about Pikuniku without giving too much away, so just know that it’s a fun little puzzle-platformer that doesn't take itself seriously.

86%Game Brain Score

humor, story

grinding, stability

95% User Score Based on 2,670 reviews

Critic Score 76%Based on 33 reviews

Platforms

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About

Pikuniku is a single player and multiplayer casual platformer game. It was developed by Devolver Digital and was released on January 24, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Pikuniku is an absurdly wonderful platformer with a vibrant world, quirky characters, and clever puzzles, offering a 4-5 hour single-player campaign and local multiplayer fun. Its masterful story, outstanding mechanics, and hilarious atmosphere create a highly emotional and fabulous experience, making it a delightful dystopian adventure for all."

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,670 reviews

humor445 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Charming and colorful art style with a whimsical atmosphere.
Funny dialogue and quirky characters that provide a light-hearted experience.
Simple yet enjoyable gameplay with fun puzzles and mini-games.

Very short game length, typically completed in 3-5 hours.
Limited replayability and some missable achievements that require restarting the game.
Controls can feel clunky and imprecise at times, leading to frustration.

humor
445 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and playfulness, often described as colorful, quirky, and absurdly funny. Many players found themselves laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and whimsical interactions, making it a delightful experience, especially for those who appreciate lighthearted, child-friendly humor. While some noted that the humor might not resonate with everyone, the overall consensus is that it adds significant enjoyment to the game's short but engaging adventure.
- “This game is a little difficult but I beat it and it has a really funny ending.”
- “The dialogue is hilarious.”
- “The often absurd, irreverent, and downright hilarious writing just never misses and the writers were really firing on all cylinders here to make this game as funny as possible.”
story
360 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
48%
3%
The story of *Pikuniku* is characterized as cute, lighthearted, and humorous, often featuring whimsical characters and silly dialogue that appeal to both children and adults. While the narrative touches on themes like environmentalism and capitalism, it is generally straightforward and short, taking around 3-5 hours to complete, with some players wishing for more depth and complexity. Overall, the game is praised for its charming art style and engaging storytelling, making it a delightful experience despite its simplicity.
- “The story is fun with low stakes, the dialogue is funny, and the music only enhances the experience.”
- “The whole story is really well told in an ironic and comical way.”
- “Pikuniku has an easy to understand, well-paced, and fun story.”
- “The story had no logic sometimes, like 'toastopia' and seriousness at other times.”
- “The story is not very interesting, and the platforming is okay.”
- “The story was easy to figure out from the get-go, it was very short and the ending was extremely anticlimactic.”
music
216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
34%
1%
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, vibrant, and playful nature, enhancing the overall charm and humor of the experience. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, often comparing it to beloved titles like Animal Crossing, and crediting it with creating a unique and enjoyable atmosphere. However, some players note that the music can become repetitive over time, detracting slightly from the experience.
- “The soundtrack is really good!”
- “Pikuniku is a game with pleasing visuals, comedy, fun simple platforming, puzzle-solving, and absolutely wonderful music.”
- “The music is catchy, vibrant and works really well for the vibe and story.”
- “The controls are strange and even with practice I simply couldn't do what I wanted, the levels don't feel very fun to explore due to their structure, and oh my, does the soundtrack repeat quickly.”
- “A second negative point: the music and the 'dialogue' sound effects get more than a little irritating after a while (not a huge deal, but still......)”
- “So on top of a boring story full of try-hard-funny characters you don't really care for you're also getting seriously uninspired gameplay (including a number of really bad mini-games) garnished with an absolute nerve-shattering soundtrack that feels like your three-year-old nephew somehow got his hands on a drum, a flute and an accordion all at the same time.”
graphics
187 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
40%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and simplistic art style, which effectively complements the lighthearted and humorous tone of the gameplay. Players appreciate the cute visuals, vibrant colors, and unique character designs, noting that the graphics enhance the overall experience without needing high detail. The minimalist aesthetic, combined with engaging music and witty dialogue, creates a delightful atmosphere that resonates with both nostalgia and fun.
- “I loved the story line and the graphics; overall it is awesome.”
- “The graphics are cute, the sounds are cute, the dialogue is cute and funny; everything about this game is cute.”
- “Pikuniku is a game with excellent charm and aesthetics, on top of some pretty solid gameplay.”
- “The graphics are too simplistic.”
- “At first, the graphics seem way too simple and flash-gameish, but the small dystopian world will really grow on you as you progress due to the colorful characters and funny conversations.”
- “Unfortunately, I do not find this game or its aesthetic charming enough to recommend.”
gameplay
172 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
50%
5%
The gameplay of Pikuniku is characterized by its simplicity and charm, featuring easy-to-learn mechanics that include platforming, puzzles, and quirky interactions. While some players find the gameplay enjoyable and relaxing, others criticize it for being slow-paced and lacking depth, with repetitive elements and limited challenge. Overall, the game is appreciated for its cute art style, humor, and engaging story, making it a fun experience despite its gameplay shortcomings.
- “The gameplay is simple yet feels so natural to pull off.”
- “The funny interactions and steady story along with its unique gameplay make it such a memorable game.”
- “Pikuniku is a game with excellent charm and aesthetics, on top of some pretty solid gameplay.”
- “The gameplay itself is not very exciting; Pikuniku is a very simple puzzle-platformer with a little bit of dialogue tossed in.”
- “The somewhat clunky gameplay demands nothing of the player, essentially never evolving past the tutorial stage.”
- “The only downside to this game is unfortunately its gameplay, which has a number of problems.”
emotional
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The emotional aspect of "Pikuniku" is overwhelmingly positive, with players praising its heartwarming and wholesome nature. Many describe the game as charming and uplifting, often evoking laughter and even tears through its quirky characters and light-hearted story. Despite some critiques regarding gameplay, the overall sentiment highlights a delightful and comforting experience that resonates deeply with players.
- “It's a simple game with some challenging moments and a heartwarming story of taking down a heartless, greed-filled corporation.”
- “The visuals made me feel comfortable and warm, like they were melting my heart, and the soundtrack is astonishing.”
- “I laughed, I cried, I beat up robots, I upset a slice of toast, I helped produce a fresh dubstep track, and I threw down some sick dance moves wearing swaggy sunglasses.”
- “The story is boring and filled with try-hard funny characters that you don't really care about, combined with uninspired gameplay and poorly designed mini-games. The soundtrack is nerve-shattering, like a three-year-old got their hands on a drum, a flute, and an accordion all at once.”
replayability
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
52%
16%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players finding it enjoyable and worth revisiting due to its charm and side quests, while others note its limited replay value, particularly after completing the main story. Many reviews highlight that the adventure mode lacks depth and incentive for repeated play, though competitive elements like racing levels may appeal to some. Ultimately, while it offers a fun experience, its short length and lack of substantial content for replay may deter players from returning.
- “This fun, calming (mostly) little game is adorable, unique, and has high replay value.”
- “It has a lot of replayability and you're given the chance at the end to freely roam and find extras you've missed!”
- “A decent amount of replay value too thanks to a surplus of weird side quests and achievements.”
- “Not much replayability, but still worth a play if you're looking for a brief, casual game.”
- “Sadly, it's quite short and has low replayability.”
- “While the game is cute, has good humor and is relatively okay, there is no replayability; the story mode is extremely short and stale, the puzzles are honestly just terrible, and considering this is supposed to be a platformer, there isn't much platforming going on that is difficult.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its whimsical, feel-good vibe, characterized by humorous dialogue, colorful graphics, and a relaxing soundtrack. Players appreciate the unique blend of charm and simplicity, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate lighthearted adventures, though it may not appeal to those seeking a more traditional platforming experience. Overall, the atmosphere is described as bubbly, fun, and reminiscent of beloved titles like Earthbound and Adventure Time.
- “Love its funny weirdo atmosphere, its story, its graphics, and its physics-based controls making it so unique.”
- “Beautiful game, graphics, music, atmosphere, just an amazingly chill colorful adventure.”
- “This game's whimsical and charming atmosphere filled me and my friend with joy!”
- “I think if you're the type of person to like the silly dialogue, atmosphere, and characters, I'd definitely recommend the game; as for people looking for a good platformer or co-op experience, I'd look elsewhere.”
- “The gameplay is comparable to Limbo (but obviously with a completely different atmosphere).”
- “Humor and atmosphere felt kind of reminiscent of Earthbound and Adventure Time.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time that feels disproportionate to the game's overall depth. While some appreciate the difficulty curve, many express frustration with the repetitive nature of certain tasks, leading to a sense of boredom rather than challenge.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game is way too shallow to be this tedious and annoying.”
- “It's an easy game that's more tedious than challenging, which can get kind of boring at times.”
- “Somewhat tedious at times but I did finish it, which isn't true of games I've liked a lot more.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
29%
Overall, while the character design is widely praised for its cuteness and charm, many reviewers express a desire for deeper character development, particularly regarding the three friends introduced in the second town. The game is noted for its fun story, but it lacks the depth in character arcs that some players were hoping for, leading to a feeling that it may cater to a younger audience.
- “Things I would have liked to see more of personally: greater character development, especially with the three friends we make from the second town.”
- “The fun story combined with the adorable character design makes for a very good time; my dude, just get it, you won't regret it!”
- “Great character design.”
- “The platformer has Undertale vibes but lacks in game length and any kind of character development.”
- “The character design felt very much inspired by the Mr. Men series of books, and unfortunately, I ended up feeling like I was playing something geared towards a similar audience.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, maintaining a stable 60fps performance that syncs with the display's refresh rate when vsync is enabled. Users particularly appreciate the solid performance of the Linux port.
- “The performance is great; the game is locked to 60fps, but it syncs to the display refresh rate if it is higher when you turn VSync on.”
- “Many thanks for a very stable and well-performing Linux port!”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game features appealing graphics, but users have reported occasional glitches that affect overall stability. Despite these issues, the experience remains enjoyable.
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I frequently encounter crashes that disrupt my gameplay, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
- “The game is plagued by lag and performance issues, which makes it frustrating to play.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy for the game has been criticized for being overly aggressive, particularly due to extensive advertising on social media, which may deter potential players.