Developer: O. Harjola, O. Hantula, T. Jubert, C. Castello
Publisher: Facepalm Games
Rrp: £11.29 (Gog.com), £11.52 (Humblebundle) and £11.99 (Steam)
Released: 30th May 2013
Available on: Gog.com, Humblebundle, and Steam
Played Using: Mouse and Keyboard
Approximate game length: 7 Hours
Video games are a great medium for exploring philosophy, this is in part due to its interactive nature and that things can created within a virtual space that simply cannot exist in the real world. This allows for exploration and experimentation without any real risk and because the player is actively a part of the experience it causes them to identify and process what is on screen more carefully.
That isn’t to say that every video game should be an in-depth exploration into the human psyche or anything like that. I wouldn’t ever want that, could you imagine that? Doesn’t bear thinking about.
Anyway where was I? Oh yes, The Swapper. It’s a puzzle game, one that involves quite a bit of lateral thinking and timing. You solve its multitudinous puzzles by creating up to four clones of yourself that you can swap in and out of. So what can you do with four clones? Kill them usually, in the service of actually solving the puzzles, of course… mostly.
Interestingly you can switch control of the duplicates, even during mid-fall. Meaning that you can be falling to your death, summon a duplicate on the ground and take control of them leaving your old body to become a red smear on the ground beside you. It’s a great mechanic, however it does give me some pause on a philosophical level. In fact quite often the puzzles will require your duplicates to die, which, again causes me some disquiet.
So why are you solving puzzles? Well there is a narrative reason that I don’t wish to give away. However from a gameplay standpoint solving the puzzles gives you monogone orbs, these orbs act as keys and open doors that allow you to progress the game.
I gave controlling this game with a control pad but I just found it much easier to use my mouse and keyboard. I’m sure that’s just me, because the controls were perfectly functional on the control pad I just enjoy the speed and accuracy a mouse grants.
I’ll be honest as much as I like this game it does beat you over the head with philosophy. I know that I enjoyed The Talos Principle and its exploration into somewhat similar philosophical territory but there was a couple of major differences. However the main difference for me is the humour, or lack thereof in the Swapper. I know its a serious game but if I’m kept in a feeling of oppression and dread for too long I start to disengage. Even Alien Isolation had a few humorous parts that made the suspense and fear all the more palpable.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
QUBE
Portal
The Talos Principle
