It’s not often that a game begins with a silhouette pouring a cup of coffee, which then undertakes a filtration process to bring it back to pure water. But this is the jumping off point for Puddle on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade.
Essentially a puzzle game in the vein of Mercury Hg, Puddle sees the player guiding various liquids around increasingly treacherous levels toward the exit, which are located in increasingly perilous locations. There are also hidden areas which cut down the distance and number of hazards required to pass, but with a greater risk of losing more of the precious liquid along the way.
The need to trigger pressure switches, while dodging sizzling hot plates that will slowly evaporate the stock of water, is a constant worry and keeping an eye on the meter in the top left hand corner of the screen is paramount to success. Fall below the meridian line and it’s game over. Puddle will let you progress past a certain level if it’s becoming too much by using a “Whine and Skip” token. The implication of failure serves to spur the player on; refusing to be defeated by the notion of not being up to the task makes it a neat touch to keep the player engaged.
Part of the beauty of Puddle is its simplistic controls. With only the left or right triggers used to tilt the area in their respective directions, anyone can pick up and play in a matter of seconds. And while this might seem to indicate that Puddle will be a gentle excursion, developers Neko Entertainment have much more sinister plans in store for the player.
The game never rests on just one form of liquid to guide through the assorted levels, never content to stick to one thing and more than happy to mix things up. Later levels see the player using water to push flower bulbs into designated areas, while avoiding moisture absorbing plants. Other scenarios are best discovered by the players themselves, but suffice to say that some liquids can be combustible…
While all this might paint Puddle as a flawless experience, there are some frustrations that slightly temper the enjoyment. Sometimes it can feel as if a certain level of momentum is required so a restart is by far the best way to negotiate a path through a particularly tricky section. It’s reminiscent of Trials HD in that respect, but where they differ is how long it can take for a level to reload. If it was as quick to restart as hitting the back button, much of the frustration would instantly dissipate and create a more captivating experience.
It also feels a tad barren in places, with only the addition of the Laboratory outside of the main set of levels. Acting as a virtual playpen where shapes and elements found in levels can be used to fool around, it’s doubtful many will bother with it bar a cursory glance between taking an enforced break from a particularly stressful level.
As a debut entry to the download services, Puddle hits a few snags but on the whole is an enjoyable puzzler that will no doubt garner a loyal following given half the chance.
