Let's Check Out : The Swapper

Due to the craziness of E3 week, we had to take a week off from the Let's Check Out series, but we're back this week with Facepalm Games' The Swapper. This relatively (and when I see relatively, I mean that in the loosest sense) under-the-radar indie title kind of snuck up on us with it's quality. A quick look at the game reveals a perplexing puzzle platformer, with brain-punching puzzles and a gameplay mechanic in which you control and switch places with up to 4 clones. The game starts at a relatively slow pace, but as it picks up you'll find yourself spending quite a bit of time with each puzzle as you decide the best route to take.

Along with the game's brain busting puzzles, the true kicker of this title is the beautiful handcrafted visuals for the characters and the set pieces. Featuring some of the best claymation I've seen in a video game, I often had trouble understanding that I was simply playing a video game and not watching a pre-recorded stop-motion video. As the game progresses, a deep and dark narrative begins to unfold adding a new layer to the game's already tense atmosphere, telling a dark secret of the space station you explore

The Swapper is a game you definitely shouldn't miss which I believe to be a benchmark for puzzle platformers and claymation in video games. For $14.99 you can pick it up today through Steam or their website. 

E3 2012 Most Innovative Title: Quantum Conundrum

Quantum Conundrum came as a pleasant surprise this year, and we ran into it in the unlikeliest of places: The Square-Enix booth. When the developers introduced themselves as the folks from Airtight, it rang a bell that I wasn't able to place till hours later. It turned out that these were the guys who had developed Dark Void under Capcom, an ambitious title which suffered the unfortunate stigma of being rushed out prematurely.

However, the Seattle based Airtight studios folks are making a triumphant return with a fantastic, mind bending title that is set to make a splash on select consoles this summer. While some might say that this game resembles Portal, we'd argue that its only in spirit as this FPP (First person puzzler) threw so many interesting, interdimensional dynamics our way that it absolutely stunned us. Combine the incredibly innovative gameplay with an incredibly appealing art style and you've got yourself a recipe for success. For thinking outside the box (Or fluffy safe), Quantum Conundrum definitely earned itself our Most Innovative title award. Keep your eyes peeled for this one, as we've got a great feeling that it's going to be huge!