Shadow Puppeteer

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 30 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Shadow Puppeteer Game Cover
The puzzles are fun, it could benefit from some polish in terms of presentation, but you'll enjoy Shadow Puppeteer more with a second player by your side.
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In Shadow Puppeteer, players explore a beautiful world of darkness and light, controlling key characters in a local co-op or single player adventure. By manipulating light to solve puzzles, they seek to free trapped shadows and defeat the menacing puppeteer. Offering easy-to-learn controls, the game provides entertaining challenges embedded in a rich atmosphere.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Wii
  • Wii U
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews
gameplay4 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Innovative gameplay mechanics and unique puzzles create a captivating experience, especially in co-op mode.
  • The game features beautiful visuals and an atmospheric soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
  • The cooperative gameplay fosters teamwork and connection between players, making it a fun and engaging experience.
  • The game can be confusing and frustrating at times, particularly due to wonky controls and camera issues.
  • Some players found the difficulty level to be inconsistent, with certain puzzles and bosses requiring excessive retries.
  • The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 4 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
  • gameplay11 mentions

    The gameplay features innovative mechanics and creative puzzles, offering a unique experience that is both challenging and visually appealing. However, some players find the teamwork and shadow mechanics to be problematic, with minor control issues leading to significant gameplay frustrations. Overall, while the core mechanics are well-executed and the developers are responsive to feedback, the focus on certain elements may detract from the cooperative experience.

    • “Innovative gameplay mechanics, unique and creative puzzles.”
    • “The controls are quite good, the gameplay is quite challenging with a great ramp-up phase.”
    • “I really like the core mechanic, and it's done very well (though maybe not flawlessly).”
    • “They navigate through the game, struggling with the teamwork mechanics.”
    • “Small errors in the mechanics caused large problems.”
    • “"Rope-shadow" mechanic button configuration is mind-numbingly stupid.”
  • graphics9 mentions

    The graphics are widely praised for their beautiful art style and strong visual appeal, reminiscent of Tim Burton's aesthetic. While the visuals and cutscenes are excellent, some players find the repetitive gameplay and challenging levels frustrating, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The great visuals hold well for today, got some Tim Burton's vibe.”
    • “Excellent art style.”
    • “I adore the art style, and I think the cutscenes are fantastic.”
    • “Nice idea, even graphics, but frustrating to repeat the same tedious movements of boxes and items, with plenty of occasions to fail and start over.”
  • music7 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience with spooky and shadowy vibes. Reviewers highlight its uniqueness and ability to complement gameplay without being distracting, contributing to the game's beautiful art style and engaging story. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that enriches the game's ambiance.

    • “The soundtrack is super atmospheric.”
    • “The music is also really good, and creates a very nice atmosphere.”
    • “Pros: the music is amazing, different enough to be new and unique, but not too crazy that it distracts from the gameplay.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the impactful soundtrack and the effective use of lighting and art to create an immersive experience. Overall, the combination of music and visual elements contributes significantly to the game's engaging ambiance.

    • “The music is also really good, and creates a very nice atmosphere.”
    • “Great atmosphere, given by lighting and art!”
    • “Great atmosphere.”
  • story4 mentions

    The story is generally considered cute and engaging, featuring a boy and his shadow that immerses players in its whimsical setting. While some find it passable and forgettable, others appreciate its interesting art style and music, enhancing the overall experience in local co-op play.

    • “A fun local co-op with an interesting story, art style, and music.”
    • “A story about a boy and his shadow; this game immerses players in everything that's going on.”
    • “The story is passable and forgettable, but it provides a plausible setting for the challenge.”
    • “A story about a boy and his shadow, this game makes its players totally immersed in everything that's going on.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever integration into gameplay, with players enjoying laugh-out-loud moments during boss battles and puzzle-solving. The comedic elements enhance the overall experience, making it both entertaining and intellectually engaging.

    • “Laughing my pixels off.”
    • “They navigate the boss battle with hilarious coordination, laughing all the way.”
    • “It's a funny game, and you really need to be smart with puzzling.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional investment in the game, highlighting a deep connection even with inanimate objects. The final levels are particularly praised for providing a satisfying culmination of the game's lessons, evoking a wholesome and fulfilling experience.

    • “I realize I'm emotionally invested in a shadow.”
    • “10/10 would emotionally bond with inanimate objects again.”
    • “The last levels are very good to work as the 'final exam' after being taught everything, which gives a great wholesome feeling.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to the repetitive and tedious nature of moving boxes and items, which often leads to failures and the need to restart. This can detract from the enjoyment of more precise puzzles, making them feel laborious at times.

    • “Nice idea, even graphics, but frustrating to repeat the same tedious movements of boxes and items, with plenty of occasions to fail and start over.”
    • “This makes some of the more precise puzzles a bit challenging to complete and can cause them to feel tedious at times.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent buggy collisions that result in characters being teleported unexpectedly, as well as startup problems where Xbox 360 controllers lose sync, leading to freezes.

    • “Collisions are still buggy, with characters frequently being teleported on top of or behind objects.”
    • “The game has issues on startup, with two Xbox 360 controllers losing sync and causing freezes.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

63% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
4-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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