The Pedestrian Review: All Signs Point To An Instant Classic

The Pedestrian stands out as a well-made puzzle-platformer that easily deserves to be called an instant classic.

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Among the thousands of Kickstarter projects that are funded but fail to deliver a satisfying product, The Pedestrian by Skookum-Arts stands out as a well-made game that easily deserves to be called an instant classic. The 2D-puzzle platform game favors style and ambiance over brutal difficulty, unlike like so many other games in the genre, and is one that can be replayed over and over, making it a must-have for virtually all gaming libraries.

A Puzzle Platformer With A View

The main character is little more than a male or female stick figure, exactly like we see on street signs or public bathrooms, and there is nothing particularly special or fantastic about this protagonist. They move at a decent rate, jump short distances and heights, and can activate switches, all of which are necessary to navigate the puzzles that lie ahead.

At its core, The Pedestrian features puzzle platform gameplay through a unique blend simple aesthetics laid on top of a series of vibrant and interesting locations where one might expect to see street signage, or signs in places like a warehouse. Completing one puzzle is usually done by finding a way to an exit, and the camera then pans away from the signs across a gorgeous environment towards the next series of signs and puzzles to solve.

Moving The Rooms To Where You Need Them

Start at Point A and get to Point B. That’s the simple goal of each area, but like most great puzzle platformers, there is a catch. In this case, players need to both connect rooms via doors and ladders and move them around based on the directions that these two ways of getting around face. Linking a room is done easily with the mouse, and if you happen to make a mistake or find yourself unable to advance, changing anything in your puzzle configuration will reset the puzzle, allowing you to try again.

This takes the platforming aspect of the game to another level, because unlike others in the genre, you are not simply asked to find a way through a puzzle with a character, you need to build it as well. This kind of interaction feels strikingly similar to Portal 2 following the acquisition of the repulsion gel, propulsion gel, conversion gel, and cleaning gel to manipulate the environment. This is on a far smaller scale, but the core feeling is still there.

A Relaxing Soundtrack

From the beginning of the game all the way through to the satisfying conclusion, there are no words for players to read. Everything is done by signs and moving from one environment to the next. In place of dialogue, The Pedestrian has a beautiful soundtrack that helps set the mood for each place the player sees. The developers stated that the inspiration for the music is a combination of John Williams, Danny Elfman, and Jerry Goldsmith. Be sure to pick up the OST by Logan Hayes, which can be wish-listed now for release on February 11th.

More Relaxing Than Difficult, But That Might Change

At its core, The Pedestrian is not a difficult game, nor is it punishing for mistakes. Its great music, immersive environments, and puzzles make for a great time, and it must be described as more relaxing than difficult or challenging. This should not be read as much of a critique; it is simply the direction taken by the developers, and it fits perfectly with the overall theme of the project.

What’s more, the Kickstarter for the project shows that, according to the achieved stretch goal of $30,000, the developers will be releasing a level editor at some point. Exactly like Portal 2, this game would benefit massively from such a tool, as there are always passionate players ready to unleash their creative talents.

Hands down, The Pedestrian is a great game that I will certainly revisit in the future for a full playthrough. With that in mind, the absence of a chapter or level select after completing the game is a bit of a surprise. Perhaps the developers did not consider it, or given the delays in the project before it saw an official launch, it was not a priority. It just stands out as an anachronic omission not to have a way to pick a point previously visited to start from. If players want to revisit an area, they need to restart the game.

A Fine Addition To Any Library

Taking a more relaxing approach to the classic puzzle platformer genre leads The Pedestrian to a big win here. This is especially true in today’s market where developers seem pressured to make everything akin to Dark Souls in difficultly. The inclusion of great-looking environments and a soundtrack that one never tires of hearing make The Pedestrian a must-own title for 2020, and hopefully, we will be seeing a Nintendo Switch and mobile port in the coming months.

A PC copy of The Pedestrian was provided to TheGamer for this review. The Pedestrian is available now on PC and Mac

Link Source : https://www.thegamer.com/pedestrian-review-pc/