MSRP: $14.99
Platforms: Win, Mac, Linux, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, XBox One, Wii U
Release: 5/30/13
Steam rating: 97% positive
The Swapper is a 2D story-driven puzzle game, and while I’m usually a fan of getting a lot of play time out of each and every game, I’m glad this one caps out at a relatively brief 5 hours. The reason is simple – I want to play this game in a single sitting. I want to absorb all the tiny bits of story all at once. I desperately want to know what’s going on here.
I am perfectly comfortable with a story-driven game letting the mechanics take a back seat to the narrative, but the gameplay here is pretty damn good. You are in possession of a cloning gun, which allows you to make create clones, and swap your consciousness (in other words, take control of) any clone you create. It is this tool that will allow you to unlock doors, flip switches, and collect orbs to power up transporters, unlocking more of the map and more of the story.
You are limited to four clones at a time, and clones will disappear if they fall offscreen, or if you walk into the clone or out of a particular scene. The ability to use clones can be effected by environmental factors, which are explained as you proceed through the game.
The Swapper is lovely to look at, it sounds fantastic, and it feels really good to play. It draws you in with scraps of a story, and pushes you to find out more and more. Despite the short play time, it really is the complete package, and for the next week or so, it’s on sale for under $3. If you’ve ever enjoyed a puzzle game, and you haven’t discovered The Swapper yet, there is no better time to pick it up.
366 Days of Gaming 