Snake Pass

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 836 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
Snake Pass Game Cover
If a game could be judged by how many times you’ve shouted obscenities at its protagonist, then Snake Pass would be up there with the best of them.
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In "Snake Pass," players control Noodle the Snake and his friend Doodle the Hummingbird as they navigate through 15 levels to restore Haven Tor's mythical power. By thinking like a snake, players will slither, coil, and climb through precarious puzzles to reunite the Keystones with the magical gates. With a unique physics-based gameplay style and a charming soundtrack from David Wise, Snake Pass offers a refreshing twist on puzzle platformers.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 836 reviews
gameplay73 positive mentions
story10 negative mentions
  • Unique and innovative control scheme that makes you feel like a snake.
  • Charming visuals and a delightful soundtrack composed by David Wise.
  • Challenging yet rewarding gameplay that encourages exploration and mastery.
  • Camera can be frustrating and may obstruct your view during critical moments.
  • Checkpoint system can be punishing, requiring you to redo sections after dying.
  • Unskippable cutscenes can interrupt gameplay and become tedious during replay.
  • gameplay229 mentions

    The gameplay of "Snake Pass" is characterized by its innovative mechanics that simulate snake movement, offering a unique and challenging platforming experience. While the controls can be frustrating and the camera problematic, many players find the learning curve rewarding, leading to satisfying traversal and puzzle-solving. Overall, the game is praised for its originality and charm, though some players note a lack of variety and occasional repetitiveness in gameplay.

    • “The gameplay is immediately unique and managed to keep my interest throughout.”
    • “Snake Pass is an adventure exploration game with a unique gameplay mechanic, which oddly enough feels very natural and makes you come up with clever ways of traversing the environment.”
    • “The mechanics are fresh, the controls are smart, and the level design is too.”
    • “Despite having perfectly competent art direction and an immaculately executed core mechanic, the design is atrocious.”
    • “The problem is simple: slippery, physics-based mechanics combined with difficult and punishing levels.”
    • “Overall, this game is plagued by a horrible camera and extremely repetitive gameplay.”
  • music194 mentions

    The music in the game, composed by the renowned David Wise, is widely praised for its catchy and fitting melodies that enhance the vibrant and colorful environments. However, some players note that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, especially during longer play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's charming atmosphere and nostalgic feel.

    • “The music in Snake Pass breathes effervescent life into its atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack is absolutely perfect, another classic from Donkey Kong Country composer David Wise, and the gameplay is the most inventive take on the 3D platformer I've ever seen.”
    • “With colorful visuals, and David Wise's great but sadly small soundtrack, this is a relaxing and engrossing game that I recommend to everyone.”
    • “Honestly, only four songs for all the levels gets a bit repetitive, especially if you take the time to reach the optional collectibles.”
    • “The soundtrack, although apparently composed by the Donkey Kong guy, doesn't go beyond serviceable in my opinion.”
    • “Sadly there's only 6 distinct tracks total in the soundtrack; I wish there was just a little more variety.”
  • graphics146 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant, colorful, and charming aesthetic, reminiscent of classic platformers. Players appreciate the beautiful art style and well-rendered environments, which enhance the overall experience, despite some criticism regarding the lack of graphical options and performance issues. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and enjoyment.

    • “The graphics are stunning.”
    • “The visuals and the music are amazing!”
    • “The art and graphics are lush and beautifully done, and work together with the famous dulcet tones of David Wise to create a cohesive and lovely entrancing atmosphere.”
    • “For PC players only: there are no graphics options whatsoever and the control mapping is deplorable (who maps UI buttons to 1 and 2 when you have a whole keyboard?) This feels like a bad port of a console first release.”
    • “The game is also pretty short, so that, plus the pointlessness of the collectibles, plus the boringness of the story, makes the game feel pretty lackluster despite its aesthetic polish.”
    • “My gripe is that this game's graphics are all over the place and it doesn't make sense.”
  • story73 mentions

    The story in this game is generally considered weak and underdeveloped, often described as a mere placeholder that serves to connect gameplay elements rather than engage players. While some reviewers appreciated the light-hearted and charming aspects of the narrative, many felt it was too simplistic or tacked-on, with little impact on the overall experience. Overall, the consensus is that the game excels in gameplay mechanics, making the lack of a compelling story less significant for most players.

    • “The light-hearted story is reminiscent of games like Spyro or Banjo-Kazooie, and the level designs, while mostly simple, are challenging enough for those going after all collectibles.”
    • “It's also a very charming and attractive game, with an easygoing plot and tone that complement the gameplay well.”
    • “A skeleton of a story takes a back seat to a lush and inviting world filled with detail that compels you to explore it, making sure the focus is on play.”
    • “The story... honestly it feels like they just forced a story into the game after finishing it, so it has no actual effect on the levels as you play them, which isn't right.”
    • “There is no story and no real challenge, just collect shiny bubbles and coins.”
    • “The main game is not very long, with a rather spartan story.”
  • atmosphere23 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its vibrant and engaging qualities, featuring upbeat and funky music that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the game's lush graphics, charming characters, and a serene yet lively environment reminiscent of classic titles like Banjo-Kazooie. The unique control scheme and thoughtful level design further contribute to a cohesive and enjoyable atmosphere, making it a standout aspect of the game.

    • “The unique control scheme is extremely fun to mess around with; the game's atmosphere is also stellar and polished (e.g. drums make a sound when water drips on them).”
    • “The art and graphics are lush and beautifully done, and work together with the famous dulcet tones of David Wise to create a cohesive and lovely entrancing atmosphere.”
    • “Its anthropomorphic characters, jubilant worlds, and atmospheric soundtrack all scream of eras past, yet its movement system and excellent controls are things of the future.”
    • “It's not like having colorful enemies would change the atmosphere of the game as there are already spikes that impale the noodle and kill him.”
    • “Then suddenly it hit me... this game's atmosphere reminded me quite a bit of some of the older Rare titles.”
    • “The atmosphere is something like an old rare game, like Banjo-Kazooie.”
  • emotional13 mentions

    Players consistently describe the game as exceptionally wholesome, highlighting the charming expressions of the main character and companion, as well as a heartwarming story. Many reviewers express a sense of nostalgia and emotional connection, likening the experience to that of an old friend, making it a standout in the platformer genre for its emotional depth. Overall, the game is celebrated for its delightful and uplifting atmosphere.

    • “The main character and his companion have some very charming expressions, and there is also a little bit of a wholesome story, so by all means, give this game a try.”
    • “This is the most wholesome platformer I've ever played in my life.”
    • “I had never played nor seen this game before, and yet... I was sitting here staring at something that made me feel the familiarity of an old friend.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game received mixed reviews. While some players praised it as a well-optimized port with great performance on their systems, others reported choppy performance and issues even on higher-end machines. The consensus suggests that while there are commendable aspects, there are also notable performance inconsistencies that could affect the experience.

    • “The game is terrifically optimized.”
    • “- a commendable, well-optimized port for PC.”
    • “I encountered no technical issues and had flawless performance throughout my playthrough.”
    • “I found there wasn't that much variety with the levels, the checkpoints could be a little bit annoying from time to time and that the performance was slightly choppy here and there despite tuning it as best I could.”
    • “The music is nice but there is poor variety, the level design and graphics are okay, performance is questionable.”
    • “I was really looking forward to this, but it's very poorly optimized, and taxes even high-end machines.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The game offers moderate replayability through achievements, time trials, and collectible challenges, though some players feel the limited number of levels (15) and unskippable cutscenes detract from the experience. While the gameplay mechanics are engaging and encourage exploration, many reviewers express a desire for additional content to enhance replay value. Overall, it provides enough incentive for players to revisit levels, but may not sustain long-term interest without further updates.

    • “Your objective is simple: you go everywhere, climb all the things, and collect everything you find along the way. When you are done with this, speedrunning the levels is an option for more replayability.”
    • “Each level took me around 30 minutes on average, with some of the later levels taking slightly longer. There are achievements that encourage replayability, such as playing every level without dying or finding hidden idols that are otherwise unmentioned.”
    • “Solid visuals, unconventional gameplay, a memorable soundtrack, and a decent amount of replay value make this well worth your time, and we absolutely give it a recommendation.”
    • “The replay value is present, but the fact you have to sit through boring unskippable cutscenes each time is a major drawback.”
    • “There is some replayability with the time trials and collectibles, but beyond that, I don’t see myself getting more than 10 hours out of this… unless they add more levels.”
    • “No real replayability after the few collectibles or big skill wall to overcome, and it feels like a sandbox for a new type of control system that could have been built upon, but it comes off as a bit lazy.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly when aiming for 100% completion. The long levels and frequent retries from checkpoints contribute to a sense of monotony, with some levels becoming infuriatingly repetitive as the game progresses. While the mechanics may be enjoyable initially, the overall experience can quickly turn into a grind that tests players' patience.

    • “I recommend it with a caveat: it can be pretty frustrating going for 100% and with its long levels and many retries from the last checkpoint, it can get really tedious too.”
    • “Messing up means you've committed that much more time to redoing a section, and the added bonus of losing the collectibles you've gathered since the last checkpoint makes it all the more tedious if you're a completionist.”
    • “The levels are tedious and repetitive and the mechanic is fun for the first 10 minutes, which is about what I played before it all was too much for me to bother.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The game's humor is characterized by its quirky character expressions and amusing sound effects, such as the hummingbird's cute noises and the snake's goofy voice. While the unconventional controls add to the comedic experience, they may also frustrate some players. Overall, the game evokes laughter through its charming art style and the absurdity of its mechanics, reminiscent of titles like Octodad and Surgeon Simulator.

    • “The ability to change their expression on the fly is hilarious, and I found myself doing it constantly.”
    • “The hummingbird makes cute rrrr sounds, and the snake makes funny gasps and yelps in a goofy male voice.”
    • “It's charming, challenging, and at some moments will have you sitting in front of your monitor laughing like an idiot.”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its polished performance and stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, with no significant bugs reported during playthroughs. However, some users have noted issues with unresponsive controls, a buggy physics engine, and camera problems that detract from the experience.

    • “I encountered no glitches in the entire playthrough, and the game feels polished in general.”
    • “Runs great on Steam Deck at 40Hz max settings.”
    • “The game runs great and has a ton of environmental jungle gym elements to slither and climb.”
    • “Unfortunately, the controls are unresponsive, the physics engine is buggy, and the camera is uncooperative.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviewers praise the character development for its well-crafted designs, highlighting the appealing colors and overall aesthetic quality of the characters.

    • “The character designs are exceptionally well crafted.”
    • “The colors are vibrant, and the character designs are lovely.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

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Play time

8hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
6-15hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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