LogFAQs > #965815193

Puppeteer (PS3)

I was prepared not to like this game very much, but to my surprise, I actually really liked it. It's a side-scrolling action platformer that came out pretty late in the PS3's lifespan. Sony Japan put it together, and clearly there was a lot of effort involved. It's gorgeous to look at, it's got a great style, and the English localization is very polished.

The game is presented as if everything is taking place on the stage of a Japanese puppet theater. The story revolves around the moon kingdom, which has been taken over by the animals of the Chinese zodiac. Their leader, an evil bear, captures the souls of dreaming children to enslave and devour them. One child, Kutaro, escapes his clutches but loses his head in the process. You control that child as he travels the moon, defeating the evil zodiac animals and collecting shards that will bring back the moon goddess and restore light to the moon.

Since Kutaro lost his head, he has to collect other puppet heads in order to stay alive. Each hit causes him to lose a head, but he can keep a couple spares. He also gains a few magical abilities throughout the game, the most important of which is a pair of scissors that can cut through most things. The scissors are used to defeat enemies, but more importantly also as a way to cut through fabric to traverse the stage. Most stages end with a boss that you will use Kutaro's skills (and a series of quick-time events at the end) to defeat.

The game is split up into 7 "acts" that each have a different theme (e.g. western, Halloween). Every stage is lengthy and unique and filled to the brim with detail and interesting things to interact with. As Kutaro travels through each stage, there is a constant narrator that tells the story, but also many other characters that are all professionally voiced. Just be prepared to sit through a couple hours of cut-scenes by the time you're done.

Although playing the game is not particularly difficult or interesting, I was impressed with the production of it and the story ended up being very enjoyable. It's a very charming game.