Shadow Puppeteer

About

Shadow Puppeteer is a platformer game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Sarepta studio and was released on September 29, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Manipulate light and darkness in this co-op puzzle platformer Shadow Puppeteer combines platforming with puzzle-solving in a play of light and shadow. Having a truly Nordic yet original art style, the game tells the story of a boy and his shadow.

+13

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75%

Audience ScoreBased on 108 reviews

gameplay18 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

Innovative co-op gameplay mechanic with one player controlling a boy in 3D and the other controlling his shadow in 2D, requiring teamwork and coordination.
Charming Tim Burton-esque art style combined with immersive soundtrack and atmosphere that enhances the unique puzzle platforming experience.
Fun and rewarding local co-op play; puzzles are creative and varied, offering engaging moments especially when played with a partner.

Camera and controls often cause frustration due to poor depth perception, floaty or janky character movement, and problematic fixed or awkward angles.
Game is short with limited content, and the final boss fights are poorly designed, overly difficult, and lack proper playtesting causing player frustration.
Technical issues and lack of polish including bugs, input difficulties, inconsistent collision, low resolution support, and no mouse input on PC platform.

gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
42%
8%
The gameplay is praised for its innovative shadow-based mechanics, unique puzzles, and enjoyable co-op features that blend 2D and 3D elements, offering a fresh and original experience. However, some players find issues with frustrating camera angles, occasional mechanical bugs, clunky controls, and a tether mechanic that can feel more annoying than challenging. Overall, while the game is relatively short and sometimes flawed, it remains fun, engaging, and well-designed.
- “The gameplay is great, it is very original and you can play it alone or with another player.”
- “Innovative gameplay mechanics, unique and creative puzzles.”
- “Excellent game for two players, the mechanics are easy to learn but challenging to master.”
- “The 3D camera makes depth perception frustrating, the final boss feels poorly playtested, and the tether mechanic that kills you both for drifting apart causes more annoyance than tension.”
- “Small errors in the mechanics caused large problems.”
- “There are mechanical and graphical bugs, which happen at least once per level.”
graphics
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
37%
11%
The game's graphics feature a unique, charming art style reminiscent of Tim Burton, with creative visuals that enhance the co-op puzzle-platformer experience. While the visuals are appealing and immersive, some players note occasional clunkiness, graphical bugs, and issues with depth perception that can affect gameplay. Overall, the distinctive aesthetic is praised despite technical flaws and mixed animation quality.
- “Shadow Puppeteer has a genuinely clever concept — one player controls a boy through a 3D environment while the other plays as his shadow in 2D — and when the co-op clicks, there are moments that had me saying 'wow, this game is awesome.' The art style has a charming Tim Burton-esque quality, and the puzzle design shows real creativity.”
- “The scenario is interesting and immersive, graphics are great and the challenges are progressively more difficult.”
- “Very attractive art style that seems to be a blend of Tim Burton and Wallace and Gromit.”
- “Visuals - the perception of depth is poor due to, ironically, a lack of a ground shadow.”
- “Graphics are clunky and buggy.”
- “The graphics are very subdued, the cutscenes are a joke, the sound is off-putting, the performance questionable and the puzzles even early on are tedious.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
27%
17%
The story is generally described as simple, pleasant, and enjoyable, providing a fitting backdrop to the puzzle-platformer gameplay. While not deeply complex or memorable, it effectively immerses players and complements the cooperative experience. Overall, the narrative enriches the game without overshadowing its core mechanics.
- “The story told in the cinematics round out the game, making it not just a puzzle platformer.”
- “A story about a boy and his shadow, this game makes its players totally immersed in everything that's going on.”
- “A fun local co-op with interesting story, art style, and music.”
- “For us gamers, for whom games are made (the developer seems to have forgotten that), it doesn't matter if GTA V was made by one guy in a shed over a weekend and Depression Quest took 1000 staff working for 5 years to make; what matters is the resultant quality of the product.”
- “The story is passable and forgettable but it provides a plausible setting to the challenge.”
- “The story is kind of weird.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
15%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive, atmospheric quality and strong integration with the gameplay and art style. It features unique and well-crafted tracks that enhance the overall experience without being distracting. Some minor criticisms note that the soundtrack can be divisive and there are occasional design slip-ups, but overall the music is a standout aspect of the game.
- “The sounds and music are immersive and very well integrated.”
- “The game is stunning to look at and the music is fantastic from start to finish.”
- “Pros: music is amazing, different enough to be new and unique, but not too crazy that it distracts from the gameplay.”
- “There are some rough edges, however, in terms of some scratchy framerate and animation issues, a soundtrack that may be divisive at points and occasional slip-ups in design and implementation.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from frequent stability issues, including character glitches, buggy collisions, and clipping through objects, which lead to frustrating gameplay moments. Additionally, controller connectivity problems and graphical bugs further impact the overall experience.
- “Movement - the shadow character often glitches about, passing through objects, getting stuck, and then spontaneously dying.”
- “Collisions are still buggy, with the characters teleported on top or behind objects frequently.”
- “The game has issues on startup with two Xbox 360 controllers losing sync and causing freezes.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is highly praised, with users highlighting the soundtrack, lighting, and art as key elements that create an immersive and engaging environment. The music, in particular, significantly enhances the overall mood.
- “Great atmosphere, given by lighting and art!”
- “The music is also really good, and creates a very nice atmosphere.”
- “Soundtrack is super atmosphere.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is characterized by repetitive and sometimes frustrating tasks, with frequent failures that force restarts, making precise puzzles feel tedious. Overall, this aspect contributes to a less enjoyable and drawn-out gameplay experience.
- “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.”
- “The graphics are very subdued, the cutscenes are a joke, the sound is off-putting, the performance questionable and the puzzles even early on are tedious.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is inconsistent, with borderline unplayable performance despite subdued graphics. Cutscenes and sound also detract from the experience, contributing to an overall questionable technical presentation.
- “I don't know what is going on, the performance seems fine but it's borderline unplayable.”
- “The graphics are very subdued, the cutscenes are a joke, the sound is off-putting, the performance questionable and the puzzles even early on are tedious.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development features distinct and somewhat creepy designs in the animations, showcasing a unique style. Despite this, the game demonstrates solid overall character portrayal, especially impressive for a small studio.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect is highlighted by the rewarding sense of accomplishment in the final levels, which serve as a satisfying culmination after learning all the game mechanics, creating a wholesome and fulfilling experience.
- “The last levels are very good to work as the 'final exam' after being taught everything, which gives a great wholesome feeling.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is well-received, blending clever wit with challenging puzzles that require smart thinking. Players appreciate the intelligent and entertaining comedic elements throughout the experience.

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63%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews

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4h Median play time

4h Average play time

4-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Shadow Puppeteer is a platformer game with fantasy theme.

Shadow Puppeteer is available on PC, Windows, Wii U and Wii.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Shadow Puppeteer.

Shadow Puppeteer was released on September 29, 2014.

Shadow Puppeteer was developed by Sarepta studio.

Shadow Puppeteer has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its stability.

Shadow Puppeteer is a local co-op game.

Similar games include Pid, Toren, ibb & obb, Shift Happens, Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power and others.

Shadow Puppeteer

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