Shifting gravity also adds a level of complexity which will test your brain and reflexes. This allows you to scale vertical walls and is used often as a tool in later tasks. As there is a slight pause when a clone is created, you can quickly swap with them in the air and chain these together. The puzzles themselves start off fairly straightforward but become quite taxing later in the game. Unlike most games where non-player characters are treated as cannon fodder, these NPCs are basically versions of you – meaning when you leave them in a room or mess up your movements and cause one of them to plummet to their deaths, you will feel a twinge of guilt.
Moving through white lights will destroy any clones you have created.Īs you create more and more clones of yourself in order to progress, you will begin to question what exactly these clones are. For instance, blue lights will prevent clones from being created in the illuminated area, while red lights will block the control-swapping ability. Lights form obstacles to add to and expand on the game’s puzzle grammar. Puzzles are solved by projecting a clone onto various platforms to either hit pressure switches or simply transferring your consciousness into said clone once placed. Once a clone is created, it will move as you do, unless there is some environmental element stopping it – like a wall. That might seem odd based on my previous description of the atmosphere, but I am referring to its emphasis on a sense of place and a sinister, overarching force.Ĭreating clone copies of the protagonist forms the basic game mechanics of The Swapper.
From the opening tracking shot, the sense of isolation and fear is palpable – reminiscent of the original Alien film.Īs for video game influences, the first game it reminded me of was Portal. Sounds spooky, doesn’t it? That’s because it is! The Swapper is a stunningly atmospheric game. As you explore more of the facility, you learn not only what happened to the Theseus, but what else resides on Chori V. Almost immediately, its use becomes apparent – you can not only make clones of yourself (up to four at a time) but you can then ‘swap’ consciousness with a copy and continue your journey with them, once they are within your line of sight. With only a flashlight to aid you, exploring the planet and its subterranean vaults lead you to a device known as the Swapper. The game begins with your character being jettisoned in an escape pod from the Theseus space station to the nearby planet Chori V.
0 kommentar(er)
