Once Upon a Puppet is a platformer that might make you believe in magic again – and no, I’m not talking about wizardry, but the kind of magic where strings and puppets come to life in a visually stunning, 2.5D world. It’s the kind of game that will have you wishing you could leap into its fantasy world and live inside its captivating stage production.
A Kingdom in Ruins
Set in the Kingdom of Theater, this fantastical world is home to living puppets, or actors, and magical hands, or stagehands, if you will, working in harmony to bring theatrical performances to life.
But things are about to take a turn for the worse. Enter the heartbroken king, who, in a fit of grief, decides that destroying the very thing that once brought him joy, the theatre itself, is a good idea. He’s wreaking havoc, tearing apart the stage, and sending everything spiralling into chaos.
The Unlikely Heroes
In come your heroes: Drev, a puppet who dreams of stardom, and Nieve, a banished stagehand sent to the Understage. Bound by magical threads, they must work together to undo the damage the king has caused and save their world from total destruction.
The demo’s platforming is as smooth as a well-rehearsed dance number, featuring classic moves like jumping, climbing, and pulling yourself up obstacles. But here’s where the twist comes in.
The string-bound bond between the two characters creates unique gameplay mechanics. Nieve can pull Drev higher into the air, tug on boxes to move them with more force, and even launch Drev through the air with a slingshot move that’s just as cool as it sounds.
Dynamic Duo: Drev and Nieve
At the heart of it all is the delightful back-and-forth between Drev’s clownish antics and Nieve’s calculated precision. The way these two complement each other in-game mirrors the story itself, and both characters must learn to trust and rely on one another, turning their differences into strength.
A Work of Art
Now, let’s talk about that art style for a moment. I’ve seen many stunning demos, but Once Upon a Puppet is in a league of its own.
From the beautifully crafted stages that pulse with life to the meticulous attention to detail in the environments, this game makes every frame feel like a piece of art.
The magic of theatre is alive here; the props, the backdrops, and the characters are seamlessly integrated into the world.
It’s like playing inside a living, breathing stage production. You’ll almost forget to solve puzzles and instead stand back to admire the set design.
Puzzles and Platforming: A Theater of the Mind
Of course, it’s not all about looking pretty. Once Upon A Puppet requires brainpower, too. The demo offers a variety of theater-inspired puzzles, blending platforming with creativity.
You’ll move props around, arrange backdrops, and even re-enact scenes to uncover the stage’s lost stories.
The puzzles fully utilize Nieve and Drev’s unique abilities, ensuring a satisfying loop of figuring out what each character can do and putting it into action.
Inspirations and Homages
If I had to draw a comparison, I’d say Once Upon a Puppet reminds me of Puppeteer, the underrated 2013 PS3 platformer with a similar theme of puppet-based gameplay.
But Flatter Than Earth, the developer, isn’t just borrowing from Puppeteer. They’ve infused the very soul of theatre into this game. The puzzles are built with the logic of the stage in mind, and you can tell the team poured their love for the art form into every aspect of the game.
Once Upon a Puppet is more than just a pretty face. With its clever platforming mechanics, emotionally resonant story, and breathtaking art, it’s shaping up to be a must-play in 2025.
BOTTOM LINE:
Once Upon a Puppet is a visually stunning, whimsically dark platformer that tugs at both your heartstrings and gaming skills.
Its gorgeous, theatre-inspired art style and cleverly designed puzzles make it a game worth waiting for.
If the full game delivers as promised, it’ll be a must-play for fans of artistic platformers, compelling narratives, and, of course, puppetry.