Shadow Puppeteer

About

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+13

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 100 reviews

gameplay17 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game features a unique co-op mechanic where one player controls a 3D character and the other controls a 2D shadow, creating interesting puzzle dynamics.
The art style and atmosphere are charming, reminiscent of Tim Burton's work, and the music enhances the immersive experience.
Playing in co-op mode is enjoyable and fosters teamwork, making it a fun experience for friends or family.

The game suffers from technical issues, including poor camera angles, janky controls, and bugs that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The single-player mode is challenging and often frustrating, as controlling both characters simultaneously can be cumbersome and confusing.
The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 3-5 hours, which may not justify its price point for some players.

gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
39%
9%
The gameplay is praised for its originality and innovative mechanics, particularly the unique 2D/3D interaction and shadow-based elements that create engaging puzzles. While the cooperative play is enjoyable and the controls are generally good, some players noted issues with mechanical bugs and a lack of challenge, leading to a relatively short playtime of around 3-4 hours. Overall, the game offers a fun experience, especially for two players, despite some criticisms regarding its execution and depth.
- “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.”
- “Small errors in the mechanics caused large problems.”
- “It never feels like it elevates things mechanically other than gimmicks.”
- “I'll try tomorrow to finish that bastard... the other things are the mechanical and graphical bugs, which happen at least once per level.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
38%
12%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising its unique art style reminiscent of Tim Burton and its immersive visuals, while others criticize clunky animations and bugs that detract from the experience. Overall, the visuals are considered appealing and well-designed, but technical issues and a lack of depth perception hinder the overall graphical quality. Despite these drawbacks, the game's artistic elements and level design are appreciated, contributing to its charm.
- “The great visuals hold well for today, got some Tim Burton's vibe.”
- “This is a great game with a great art style.”
- “I adore the art style, and I think the cutscenes are fantastic.”
- “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
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
27%
20%
The game's story is generally viewed as cute and enjoyable, enhancing the overall experience, though some find it passable and forgettable. While it provides a plausible backdrop for the gameplay, players appreciate its unique elements and immersive qualities, especially in co-op mode. Overall, the narrative is considered a positive aspect, contributing to the game's charm despite some critiques of its depth.
- “The story told in the cinematics rounds 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.”
- “Fun game, neat story, but play it in co-op or you'll go crazy.”
- “The story is passable and forgettable, but it provides a plausible setting for the challenge.”
- “The story is kind of weird.”
- “I would compare this game a lot to 'Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons'; that game was simpler but made up for it in storyline.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
22%
7%
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive quality and atmospheric integration, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the beautiful soundtrack, which complements the art style and gameplay without being distracting. While some minor issues with the soundtrack's consistency were noted, the music remains a standout feature that adds depth to 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 a soundtrack that may be divisive at points.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is significantly hampered by numerous glitches, including character movement issues, buggy collisions, and graphical problems. Players frequently experience frustrating moments with clipping errors and inconsistent physics, particularly during critical gameplay sequences. Additionally, startup issues with controller connectivity contribute to an overall unstable experience.
- “Movement - the shadow character often glitches about, passing through objects, getting stuck, and then spontaneously dying.”
- “Collisions are still buggy, with the 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.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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.
- “Great atmosphere, given by lighting and art!”
- “The music is also really good, and creates a very nice atmosphere.”
- “Great atmosphere”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever and entertaining gameplay, with players enjoying a mix of laughter and strategic puzzle-solving, especially during boss battles that showcase their comedic coordination.
- “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.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to the repetitive and tedious nature of moving boxes and items, which can lead to frequent failures and restarts. This repetition detracts from the enjoyment of puzzles, making them feel more like a chore than a challenge. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback, overshadowing the game's potential.
- “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 optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players finding the performance acceptable but ultimately deeming it borderline unplayable due to subdued graphics, poor cutscenes, and off-putting sound. Additionally, early puzzles are described as tedious, contributing to an overall lackluster experience.
- “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 is questionable, and the puzzles, even early on, are tedious.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development is noted for its creepy design in animations, which adds a unique flair, while overall, the game demonstrates a commendable effort from a small studio in executing various elements effectively.
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that impact character growth throughout the game.”
- “The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs don't evolve in a satisfying way.”

63%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews

Buy Shadow Puppeteer

4h Median play time

4h Average play time

4-4h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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