Promenade is a puzzle platformer for the Nintendo Swap. It {couples} cute aesthetics with exploratory parts in a tough outing that belies its cartoony look. All of it provides to a enjoyable and satisfying expertise.
You play the position of a younger boy named Nemo. After falling right into a darkish cavern, Nemo is rescued by an lovely, pink octopus. The 2 turn out to be buddies and arrange camp, enjoying and bonding earlier than embarking on an epic quest collectively.
The pair discovers a Nice Elevator that connects completely different worlds. An evil entity seems, shrouded in purple smoke, and steals the golden cogs required to run the elevator. Our adventurous duo units off to seek out the lacking cogs by fixing puzzles, defeating enemies, and platforming their manner throughout the colourful panorama.
Every world has its personal theme, from a seashore to outer area. The variability is refreshing, with every new space ripe for exploration. There’s a robust incentive to see what’s up forward, or the place this path leads. Alongside the best way are numerous inventive puzzles that includes every part from serving to a pair of snails reunite to copying a panorama onto a canvas with splotches of paint. Each puzzle is a enjoyable expertise, with some proving to be fairly difficult. Fixing puzzles and accumulating cogs permits the elevator to maneuver onto the subsequent world.
One of many standout options of Promenade is its clear, cartoony look. There’s a simplicity that presents a child-like strategy to the format. This innocence is additional exemplified by an absence of on-screen textual content. It’s clear that you just’re in a toddler’s world. This additionally provides to the sensation of exploration. What does that signpost imply? How do I attain that merchandise? There are occasions of trial and error that lead to a sense of satisfaction and plenty of “aha!” moments. It could actually additionally result in frustration—notably to start with—when figuring out what to do isn’t fully clear.
In case you’re a fan of platforming, Promenade has you coated. Operating, leaping, and utilizing particular methods to traverse massive gaps or scale vertical platforms are all par for the course. Your squishy octo-pal serves as a software, permitting you to reinforce jumps, assault enemies, and extra. Unlocking further skills alongside the best way retains issues feeling recent. It additionally opens up beforehand inaccessible areas.
Any difficult sections are balanced with a delicate strategy to Nemo’s well being. Nemo has infinite lives, that means retrying is all the time an choice. He additionally sports activities 5 hearts, shedding one every time he hits an enemy. These are replenished once you discover a cog or take a nap at one of many pillow forts scattered in regards to the place. Shedding all of your hearts forces you to respawn someplace shut by. Fortunately, your beforehand acquired cogs are nonetheless safely in tow. I loved this relaxed fashion of gameplay; it leaves the challenges with the puzzles and platforming.
There’s rather a lot to get pleasure from in Promenade. Boss fights are powerful, puzzles are inventive, and platforming is satisfying. A easy pocket book gives a glimpse into which cogs you’ve collected and which stay undiscovered. In case you’re a completionist who enjoys such checklists, you’ll love ticking every cog off your listing.
Total, Promenade is a deceptively simple-looking title that’s stuffed with issues to do. There’s loads of selection to maintain you hooked, with difficult puzzles and platforming parts to beat. It’s a candy outing that’s super-satisfying to play.