The Swapper Reviews
Despite a strong first impression, The Swapper is a much worse game than I previously thought. Despite being impressed by its visuals and attention to detail, I hadn't first realized how short and lacking in substance it was, and I always begrudge video games like that being released in the first place.
The Swapper couples complex narrative and mind-bending puzzles nicely. It's a short ride, but the core concept wields enough for on-the-fence gamers to consider a purchase.
In most ways this game hardly shows its age (almost 4 years old at the time of this writing), sure the graphics could be slightly cleaner, but the the most important aspects (mechanics, gameplay, and puzzles) hold up quite well. In the same vein as Braid, the core of The Swapper is the geometric and logic challenges, which are not hindered by its age. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys puzzles, logic challenges, or atmospheric space games, The Swapper is a solid experience, even by 2017 standards.
I came away from 'The Swapper' with that rare feeling of video game content and satisfaction. From the intriguing puzzles and puzzle mechanics, to the awe inspiring handcrafted visuals, there is very little that I didn't admire and appreciate. Released at a time when most gaming consoles are experiencing their yearly summer dry spell, it was a welcome addition and more than just simple filler. It prompted questions of morality with a deeper-than-expected story, while satisfying on a variety of levels with unique and challenging puzzles.
But the core gameplay—puzzle-solving with clones—is distinctly enjoyable. In a way, it reminded me of the Clank puzzles in Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, but on a 2D plane. If that kind of puzzle-solving is up your ally, I'd give The Swapper a try.
I am not a religious man by any means, yet despite that a quirky little puzzle/platformer game gave me feelings outside of the one or two I typically register (usually "hungry" and "tired" are about as diverse as my emotional spectrum gets). Using clones to solve environmental puzzles is definitely something we haven't seen on this scale before, and the game is just the right length to prevent the concept from becoming stale.
The Swapper is a fantastic game although it's not without its limitations. The nagging feeling while working your way through the puzzles is that the idea was never really stretched quite far enough. The self-contained puzzles are good in their own right, but it can at times feel like a procession of challenges. It would have been nice to get to grips with multipart puzzles or something just a little meatier. For fans of the genre though this is invaluable, although it's all-too-short 4-hour length could leave seasoned puzzlers wanting.
The Swapper isn't for everyone. Its plot is dense and tucked away. Only those dedicated to knowing the full story will bother to locate and read all of the terminals. Also, at times, it can be extremely difficult and its one-dimensional gameplay won't do it any favors in attracting a wide audience. However for what it does within its niche, The Swapper is a complete, well-constructed, and well-thought-out game that will keep hardcore puzzle/platformer fans looking for something new very entertained.
Overall, The Swapper is a fun, well-designed puzzler that I would recommend playing through at least once. If you can catch it for sale at the PlayStation Store, grab it quickly.
The Swapper is a unique and interesting puzzler, with a story that keeps you intrigued all the way to the end. The clone creating and swapping element to the puzzling is something brand new, and the puzzles themselves are the right balance between too easy and too hard. The game's setting is suitably eerie with music and in-game conversations to match. For £11.99 (or regional equivalent), it feels like the game could be a little longer, but the content of the story and puzzles that you do get, it is still worth swapping your hard earned money for.
The Swapper is an indie puzzle platformer with a gameplay hook which is cleverly married to a grand operatic narrative. Its strange visuals and atmospheric soundtrack augment this vision, creating a wholly unique and cohesive experience. While some of its later puzzles are a bit too fiddly for their own good, and the overall pacing sometimes feels a little off kilter, this is still a space voyage that comes highly recommended.
The clone-based puzzles are superb, while the addition of a thought-provoking narrative is the cherry on top of what is an excellent puzzle/platformer.
Facepalm Games have created something special with The Swapper, with Cruve Studios helping to bring the game to PlayStation. The unique cloning abilities of the mysterious Swapper device pave the way for some challenging puzzle designs and a gripping story, that sci-fi fans will no doubt love. However, you can't help but feel that it's all over far too soon.
One of the best action puzzlers for several years, made all the better by some surprisingly distinctive storytelling and visuals.
So overall, I would say 95% of this game is pure excellence. I had an absolutely fantastic time playing it and it was surprisingly long (I thought I could finish it in one sitting, but it actually took me two full nights of playing). It's just a shame that one teeny tiny detail took my impression of it from great down to good. It's still well worth playing even with the frustration, but without that minor detail it could have been one of the best.
If you have any interest in puzzle games that will bend your mind, you owe it to yourself to check out The Swapper.
The Swapper is simply an unforgettable experience regardless of platform, and though it can sometimes feel a bit alien to control using a joystick, The Swapper is still a journey well worth taking.
Clay, consciousness, space. The Swapper is a homogenous mixture of elements that fit together just well. When you look back at it, it’s hard to find too many things that are objectively broken.
The Swapper is a short, but sweetly addictive puzzle platformer that begs the statement, "If Dead Space were only a puzzle game."
As a new IP, The Swapper is one of the best around. The great puzzles, superbly told story and beautiful visuals make me excited for whatever comes next from the Finnish developer.