Smile! You're on camera!
After
crash landing on an alien planet Pic, our childlike robot hero, spots
a beautiful butterfly. Mesmerised by the colourful creature he begins
to follow it, a journey which takes him through vibrant forests, snow
capped mountains, lava filled caves, and palaces in the clouds. This
is the wafer thin plot to Snapshot, a wonderful and original take on
the popular puzzle platformer genre from the talented folks at Retro
Affect.
There
are certainly no shortage of 2D platform games with puzzle elements,
especially in the ever growing indie marketplace, and there are many
that rely on a sole gimmick or mechanic to stand out from the crowd.
We have seen magic marker pens, blobby companions, chuckable baby
chicks, worlds that can be turned around the player, time and gravity
manipulation, teleport guns and much more. Snapshot hopes to stand
out by offering another fresh idea, albeit one seen, in admittedly
basic form, in the bizarre Gekisha Boy on the PC Engine way back in
1992. Photography is the name of the game here, and Snapshot's
ingenious use of this mechanic leads to much in-game experimentation.
Pic is able to photograph the world around him, capturing certain
items in polaroid form. These captured items can then be 'unsnapped'
leading to their reappearance. Got a large crate blocking your path?
Simple, just take a snap of the offending box, move the cursor
elsewhere and unsnap it, placing it there. You now have a clear path
ahead of you. This is clearly a basic analogy to explain the mechanic
and while, initially, you are only faced with these kinds of
simplistic puzzles, it isn't long before you are left scratching your
head as you attempt to figure out the best course of action.
Visually
the game is an absolute feast for the eyes. The characters are
cartoony, well animated and full of childlike charm. Pic himself is
especially endearing, and you will soon warm to him as you watch the
lovable automaton jump, crawl, and bounce his way around the many
exotic environments. The stages are also of an extremely high
standard, with a gorgeous hand painted look that really brings the
worlds to life. Musically the game is a winner too, with an
atmospheric soundtrack that is both laid back and magical. Soft pads
intersperse with pianos and twinkling synths, giving the game a nice
laid back vibe. Later levels introduce some elegantly produced techno
and dubstep tracks that are both musical and unobtrusive. It is no
wonder the soundtrack is available to buy separately.
All
this glorious, highly polished presentation would count for little if
the gameplay didn't hold up, but I am happy to report that it excels
in this area too. The platforming action feels responsive and the
physics are spot on. Pic is an agile little chap who can jump quite
high, a useful trait when trying to collect all the small stars that
litter the stages. There are a set amount of these glittering
collectables on each level, and acquiring them all grants the player
a medal. Other medals are awarded for locating the special item
hidden on each level (which must be photographed and taken to the
exit), and for beating the par time. This all adds to the replay
value as you can choose to just get through the level, or go the
extra mile and solve more puzzles to access hard to reach areas full
of stars or the special item.
Your
photography skills are the most important part of the game though,
and something that you will need to master if you hope to get very
far. The camera crosshair is always on-screen and is controlled with
the mouse. You can use an Xbox 360 controller which, while excellent
for the running and jumping, just isn't up to the task of moving the
camera crosshair around at the speed required in later levels. The
mouse's right button takes a photo, and the left button drops the
snapped item back into the world. Photographed items can also be
rotated before being places, allowing you to be more precise in your
puzzle solving. You get a limit on how many items you can have stored
as polaroids, so you sometimes have to go back for other items,
giving the game a Dizzy-esque 8-bit game feeling (this is a good
thing). While the game's pace is often quite sedate much of the
photography needs to be performed with fast reflexes, especially when
dropping platforms beneath you as you fall, or photographing objects
in flight. This does lead to some frustrating moments as the game
requires the item to be captured completely in the frame, otherwise
you don't obtain it. You have infinite lives but death, due to spikes
or multiple hits from projectile spitting critters, results in the
level starting from scratch. This isn't a huge problem, but some of
the later levels are quite large, and losing all your level progress
can seem harsh.
There
are 4 main worlds in the game, each comprising of 9 stages, which
themselves are made of 3 levels. The game eases you in gently,
introducing new elements as you progress. Before long you will be
snapping away at plant springs, friendly animals, doorways,
projectile spitting baddies and erupting fireballs. The difficulty
level is set just right and, apart from a few head scratching
moments, I was able to progress at a steady rate. Later levels throw
much more at you, with multiple types of items required, as well as
nifty platforming skills to acquire them. There are also red zones
that you cannot photograph in, meaning special switches have to be
triggered to remove them, often on a timer. You have to be quick as
well as smart to reach the exit star. It's this inventive use of
items and switches that keeps you hooked throughout Pic's wonderful
adventure, and looking forward to what the next world has in store
for him. Evaporating cloud blocks, flying rabbits and even meditating
monkeys that control the clouds with their mind (yes really) await
the little android boy as he searches for his way home.
Snapshot
is an incredibly immersive and captivating experience that you will
relish getting lost in. You are constantly challenged by the game,
but you are never left feeling overwhelmed or overly frustrated. The
sheer variety of items and the nifty camera mechanic help Snapshot
rise above the usual puzzle platformers and give it a firm place as
one of the best in its genre. If you enjoy using your brain as much
as you enjoy 2D platforming, then make this your next purchase, and
become absorbed in its beautiful, thoughtful world.
The
Good
- Excellent and original camera mechanic
- Tight platforming mixed with challenging puzzles
- Gorgeous visuals and hypnotic soundtrack
- Decent length
- Secret items and stars add replay value
The Bad
- Mid air photography can sometimes be fiddly
Developer : Retro Affect
Also available on : Mac
Price : £6.99
Price : £6.99
