The Swapper
By Brett Molina,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Fun, spooky, puzzle-based clone adventure set in space.
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The Swapper
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Based on 1 parent review
Eerie and imaginative puzzle game that asks ethical questions.
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What’s It About?
THE SWAPPER starts off with the mysterious lead character stranded on a space station. To aid his escape, he uses a special weapon that creates clones of himself. Players can create up to five clones at once and have the option to "jump" into another clone at any time. The game is described as a puzzle platformer, where players navigate sections of the space station and complete a series of environmental puzzles to advance. For example, early stages require players to grab orbs to power a panel and move forward. Red and blue lights will pop up during some puzzles and hamper the abilities of the your weapon, pushing you to think of the best strategy to proceed.
Is It Any Good?
The Swapper is a highly imaginative and thoughtful puzzle adventure. It boasts a dark, eerie atmosphere that's reminiscent of Dead Space. Players encounter mysterious stones that appear throughout space structures that deliver creepy messages, and the story is shrouded in mystery. The platforming and puzzle-solving elements seem to draw inspiration from Portal. Players use their weapon to create clones in simple ways before using the device to cleverly navigate sections of the space station, even using it almost like a teleportation weapon. Later stages even require the navigation of zero gravity with the device.
The puzzles are carefully constructed, requiring thought about how to best approach them and how to take advantages of the player's small clone army. It's an incredibly well-made game that sticks with you long after you've played it, and its heightened focus on the puzzles and the mysterious setting \ engage you from start to finish. The Swapper is one of the more intriguing puzzle games that's ever been released.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
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Game Details
- Platforms: PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation Vita
- Pricing structure: Paid (The game requires a one-time payment. There are no additional fees or downloadable expansions to purchase.)
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Curve Digital
- Release date: August 5, 2014
- Genre: Puzzle
- Topics: Adventures , Space and Aliens
- ESRB rating: E10+ for Mild Language, Mild Violence
- Last updated: August 25, 2016
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