Review: The Swapper Wii U

The Swapper is an atmospheric puzzle platformer set in the furthest reaches of space. Players wield an experimental device able to clone the user and swap control between them.

Pros:

• Graphics are really good with a huge emphasis on lighting mixed in with a lonely space setting. Its 2D but has 3D back/fore grounds. Every section looks better than the previous.
• Options screen allows you to adjust brightness,Right stick sensitivity,Subtitles and of course volume.
• Off screen play.
• Can have map and orb counter on the bottom screen when using the big screen for play.
• Map is interactacble in terms of being able to click locations and get place names.
• Full touchscreen controls and you can use the touchscreen to interact with the game or you can opt for using the traditional button method. Drag the stylus to have better control over clone placement. The best way to play the game!
• Puzzle game in which you play an experimental pace dude who can create a number of clones of himself. With this ability you have to collect orbs dotted around the world to open new areas.
• Lights are a huge thing here, Not only your standard torch light oh no, Coloured lights are everywhere and can cause you serious issues. Red, Blue is just a taste and how they disrubt your game is when your in the light or by it, It can stop you from making a clone, shooting through it. Might not sound a big deal but it is and it will drive you insane. Its a clever mechanic that put alongside enviromental objects like blocks, transporters. Its a really good way to mess your head up.
• The atmosphere is just fantastic, You get such a feeling of loneliness and really do get sucked into the world. Exploring is fun but with the ever present danger of the unknown and no one to talk too, It all gets a bit Dead Space up in here.
• Tutorial at the start and a helpful menu in the options.
• Regular checkpoints through out the game and creates a autosave.
• Unlock fast travel around the map.
• Uncover the map as you explore and you can bring the map up at any point by pressing circle.
• The puzzles themselves are really clever. Most of the time you are either over thinking it or not thinking hard enough. The variety in the puzzles is good and helps break it all up.
• You will get loads of eureka! moments and get a grin on your face as you suss out a puzzle. Course that grin soon goes when you see the next puzzle but hey.
• Rocks are all over the game and will give you cryptic messages, Are they hints? or are they trying to tell a story? Who knows but its your job to find out.
• Making clones of yourselves is exactly that, They will look like you and move and jump as you move and jump. You can take over the control of a clone if you meet the criteria (ie lights dont prevent you) and learning to do this fast is a good way to travel to high up places. When you bring up your gun to make a clone time will slow right down.
• Find logs around that go a long way to explaining what happened and where you should look.
• The map is a really nice neon number with smooth interface to it. You can see the map at certain points in the background up on the monitors.
• Hours of gameplay and just when you think you are getting somewhere, BOOM another room.

Cons:

• You can easily get lost. Its a big area that only grows and navigating despite the map is a hard task.
• No matter how high the sensitivity the right stick will never be as good as a mouse pointer.
• Moves like fast clone switching to do high jumps and that are never really explained and you kind of stumble across it.
• Map takes a bit of getting used too. The left stick moves the map whilst the right stick moves between points of interest at lightening speed. Its not hard but its a bit crazy at the start.

In Summary, This is the definitive version of the game by far! The touch screen control is a much nicer experience. The game looks just as good as any other previous versions. Wearing headphones and playing with the lights dimmed is the true way to play this game. I have played every version and can easily call this the best way to play the game. Its worth a purchase even if you have played the other versions and if you have yet to play the game, Play this version over all else. Curve Studios have once again harnessed the power of the Wii U and applied their trade to highest standard. Go buy it