Much of Pikuniku involves platforming, but you will use very strange methods to get to certain sections. The physics based nature of the areas you traverse means rolling down a hill feels exciting and kicking an object to get it where you need it to be is satisfyingly accurate. He can jump, kick, and roll, and what makes these movements special are that they are controlled perfectly. You control the best, who is not very scary at all, but who does have a very unique set of skills. This is an exploration based puzzle platformer that also has some Metroidvania elements, like backtracking and unlocking new skills to progress. More often than not they don’t detract from the serious undertones of the whole experience. There are jokes for any demographic and age group if you have the knowledge and capacity to understand them. Many of these quests are based around humor and I find at times that many of these indie titles go too far with the self-referential humor, but Pikuniku’s writing was some of the best I had seen. When not advancing in the story, you will find a few smaller side-quests and they are usually given out when you leave the beaten path, such as when you find a secret passage underground. From a community of gorilla leaves, to actual animals, the cast is eclectic and provide a rich backdrop for wanting to continue the adventure. Throughout your experience you will feel yourself rising up against these evil powers with the help of some friends. You do at least feel that you have placed your own stamp on what happens in the world. The cutscenes are excellently handled with the right levels of humor, strangeness, and truth, but still told through a very familiar tale as I could see how this deals with our consumerist society and how we can miss the the best and necessary things in life.ĭialogue options can be selected at times and give the illusion that you have some choice and say with how Pikuniku proceeds. The world is currently under the influence of a tyrannical and seemingly very generous leader who lavishes coins upon the people in exchange for their crops, goods, and occasionally citizens. Pikuniku features a truly delightful story where you take on the role of, what the locals call, a mythical beast with them running at the sheer and terrible sight of you. If you are looking for a more robust game PiKuNiKu might be a disappointment, but if you’re just looking for a way to relax on the weekend, it’s the perfect way to relax the day away.Sometimes you just need a lighthearted adventure game to take your mind off what’s happening in the world, and thankfully I had the privilege of playing developer Devolver Digital’s strange, but clever and enjoyable title Pikuniku. The main game itself is 4 hours, and the co-op games can be finished in about 2. It only takes about 6 hours to finish PiKuNiKu. There’s even a game of basketball where you have to kick the ball into your own hoop-but often end up kicking your friend as much as the ball itself. The games in co-op are separate from the rest of the game, and allow you to get into more hilarious shenanigans with your favorite character. PiKuNiKu also has a co-op game that allows you to run with Piku’s twin, Niku. On top of the ‘main quest’ there are also a handful of mini games that make the game more enjoyable. No matter what you do in the game, adventure is sure to await you, and it’ll probably make you laugh when it happens. Kick a hole in a wall and you may end up ruining a rock’s tea party and have to play hide and seek.Įven the bosses are fairly simple, requiring just three hits to defeat them. Kick a birds chicks out of the nest and you’ll have to go find them and put them back. Sometimes you kick things and it turns out to be a bad thing. You interact with most of the world by kicking things. Although the art is exceedingly simple, it fits well into the relaxed gameplay and silly nature of the puzzles. The artwork has a strong LocoRoco vibe, with simple outlines and strong colors rather than fine detail. PiKuNiKu features simple artwork based in primary colors. Sunshine keeps taking more and more resources, the villagers beg for help to save their world. Sunshine offers to harvest their corn in exchange for ‘free money.’ As Mr. Local villagers that dwell near Piku’s cave ask him for help when the evil Mr. Piku can interact with the world by kicking at various objects, and when he wants to move quickly, by sucking his legs in and simply rolling along. The game starts with Piku, a cute little blobby red ‘beast’ that is essentially simply a blob with legs. PiKuNiKu is a cute and simple little game that will take you right back to the early days of gaming, without the frustrations of super early games. With so many serious games out there, it can be hard to remember that games are supposed to be fun.
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