Once Upon a Puppet Review: Charming Theater Style Can’t Hide the Puzzle-Platformer Blandness

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Indie studio Flatter Than Earth has been toiling away on their first game, titled “Once Upon a Puppet“, for an impressive eight years now. This is a 2.5D puzzle-platformer where players get to direct both the wooden toy character and the stagehand who manipulates its strings.

In the magical realm of “Once Upon a Puppet,” I, as a player, leap and bound through an enchanting theater-inspired world brimming with intriguing environmental puzzles, engaging platforming hurdles, and a vibrant cast of characters that would put any stage production to shame. While “Once Upon a Puppet” certainly warrants a hearty round of applause, its brief adventure never quite earns the thunderous standing ovation it deserves.

Once Upon a Puppet Is a Familiar Fairy Tale

In the beginning, the tale titled “Once Upon a Puppet” starts with the character Nieve, bereft of a body, being hurled into a forlorn realm called the Backstage. This domain is overflowing with abandoned props and puppets, many of which have been cast off by the monarch, who’s rumored to have succumbed to madness after his beloved princely son vanished mysteriously.

In a swift turn of events, Nieve accidentally discovers a puppet named Drev, and an unexpected connection is formed between them through a mysterious thread. At first, Nieve and Drev aim to break free from this bond, but fate has other plans as they are drawn into a foretold mission to save the world. This extraordinary journey leads them to rekindle the king’s long-lost memories.

In essence, the story in “Once Upon a Puppet” is quite delightful, with its fairy tale-esque narrative. The dialogue in the game is well-written, and the few cinematics effectively capture the game’s theatrical mood and appearance. Moreover, the relationship between Nieve and Drev evolves convincingly throughout the 6-hour duration of “Once Upon a Puppet”.

Despite its unique title, “Once Upon a Puppet” may not stand out as the game’s main attraction due to its familiar storyline. The themes, plot, and character interactions in “Once Upon a Puppet” are reminiscent of numerous fantasy tales seen in previous films, television series, and video games. Regrettably, the surprising elements in the game’s narrative also tend to be quite predictable, and the swift pace means that these moments don’t have enough development time, resulting in them feeling less impactful emotionally.

In “Once Upon a Puppet,” the plot is generally satisfactory and occasionally entertaining, yet as the game emphasizes its narrative and character development, the flaws within these elements grow increasingly apparent.

Once Upon a Puppet Doesn’t Break The Mold for Puzzle-Platformers

In terms of its gameplay, Once Upon a Puppet offers a reliable experience that may not be exceptional enough for a glowing review. The core mechanics involve players manipulating levers to open doors, navigating moving platforms, rearranging environmental objects within levels, and evading enemies capable of delivering a single lethal blow. Those who have experienced games like Limbo, Inside, or Little Nightmares will find Once Upon a Puppet‘s gameplay mechanics very familiar.

An interesting feature that sets “Once Upon a Puppet” apart is its self-titled puppetry system. Players can manipulate both characters, Nieve and Drev, at once. The left joystick and trigger are utilized for moving and grasping Drev, while the right joystick and trigger do the same for Nieve.

At times, gamers might find themselves using both sides of the controller to conquer puzzles or tackle specific platforming levels. These instances aren’t revolutionary, as games like “Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons” have employed similar mechanics for more than a decade. However, they provide an enjoyable and engaging method to intertwine gameplay and story.

The game, “Once Upon a Puppet”, has a well-structured progression of mechanics and challenges. Each level presents either a new movement capability or useful tool. While these elements may not be entirely novel, as they are common in puzzle-platformer games such as the double-jump and wall-climbing, they are skillfully incorporated and doled out at suitable intervals, ensuring that gameplay remains captivating for the game’s brief span.

In the narrative of “Once Upon a Puppet”, the integration of novel mechanics seems to halt approximately two-thirds into the storyline, resulting in an overly repetitive final act since players predominantly rely on a single ability for nearly two hours. Additionally, while the game’s platforming obstacles progressively increase in complexity, its puzzles generally remain quite simple throughout the experience.

Once Upon a Puppet Makes The Most of its Theatrical Concept

The unique charm of Once Upon a Puppet lies in its exceptional presentation. Each element of this game’s design is deeply immersed in its theatrical concept and handmade aesthetic. The settings are crafted to resemble stage sets, with props and backgrounds made from materials like cardboard, wood, and string. Moreover, the physics-driven movement of objects adds a touch of realism to the overall experience.

Character models share a similar style, crafted from wood and metal, and their movements are imbued with a sense of heft appropriate for their materials, lending them a distinct personality. The in-game collectibles also align with Once Upon a Puppet‘s unique vision, taking the form of stage props that include quotes from renowned theatrical figures such as Oscar Wilde and Shakespeare.

In Once Upon a Puppet, the sound design plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall experience. The enchanting soundtrack, skillfully composed by Arkadiusz Reikowski, lends an undeniable touch of whimsy and magic to the gameplay moments. Moreover, the creaky noises that resonate as Drev leaps and swings imbue this fantastical realm with a delightful, tangible quality. Similarly, the visual elements and lighting in the game are impressive and well-aligned with its aesthetic and mood.

Once Upon a Puppet’s Technical Issues Chew The Scenery

Conversely, the technical performance of “Once Upon a Puppet” is remarkable, albeit for all the wrong reasons, particularly on PlayStation 5. The game experiences persistent frame drops from start to finish, which are significant enough to be quite noticeable and occasionally bring the game’s otherwise swift pace to an unsatisfactory halt.

In the game “Once Upon a Puppet”, there are some visual glitches that have been noted, like Nieve vanishing from above Drev’s head momentarily, an adversary sliding across the floor, and Stagefright sludge seemingly passing through the background scenery at times. These problems, when considered individually, may not seem significant; however, they can become quite aggravating when combined with the game’s somewhat unpredictable hit-detection system and one-hit death mechanism.

In summary, “Once Upon a Puppet” is a well-crafted game, boasting impressive visuals, charming character animations, immersive environments, and captivating audio design that truly bring its unique concept to life. However, these elements alone do not propel the overall gaming experience to exceptional heights. The solid platforming, thoughtful puzzles, and engaging storyline are what keep “Once Upon a Puppet” from reaching greatness. Unfortunate technical glitches occasionally introduce unnecessary frustration into an otherwise fulfilling experience by a budding indie studio with significant potential.

On the 23rd of April, the game “Once Upon a Puppet” will be available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. For this review, we received a PlayStation 5 code from Game Rant.

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2025-04-22 19:09