Supraland

Supraland has a visual style that initially made me reluctant to pick it up, as the toy theme doesn’t really resonate with me. And I must say, there are other aspects I’m not particularly fond of, like the bare-bones plot, overly sarcastic tone, or somewhat superficial combat. The same goes for 3D platforming, though it’s somewhat alleviated by the third-person perspective. Still, I’m glad I got past my first impression and gave Supraland a chance. Where the game really shines is in its puzzles, metroidvania elements, and exploration. I once saw an interview with the developer, where they outlined the key principles of good puzzle design. I believe Supraland is a great showcase of these ideas. The puzzles constantly evolve, build on each other, and keep you on your toes. My favorite is the coloring machine. It starts simple, but each iteration adds something new to the formula to keep it interesting. What makes the puzzles - and thus the game - even better is how they’re intertwined with metroidvania progression. The upgrades are designed in a similar fashion. Each tool has multiple uses: some help in combat, others with movement and puzzle-solving. The grapple hook gun is a good example. For one, it allows you to swing around like Tarzan, but you can also use it to pull lightweight objects toward you or even attach both ends to create a rope bridge. Some uses may not be obvious at first and only become apparent later - and the coloring machine is, surprisingly, a perfect example of this again. Exploration is the part I always look forward to in games. I must say, I usually prefer when exploration is tied to the game’s plot or lore and helps you better understand the world or current events. Here, that’s not really the case. Supraland rewards you with upgrades. Some may seem laughably small, like +1 to sword damage, but others can open paths to previously inaccessible secrets. This approach appeals to me more than that of Mario Odyssey, where you hunt for secrets just for the sake of it. I dropped Mario Odyssey soon after starting it, here, on the contrary, I ended up finding all the hidden chests. It may sound daunting, but it doesn’t actually require that much effort. Toward the end, you receive such powerful upgrades that finding secrets becomes a breeze. The last thing to mention is the most frustrating experience I had in Supraland. One of the design principles I mentioned above is having a single solution. As you learn to expect this, finding a workaround can lead to serious confusion. It happened to me in the blue village. I won’t go into much detail, but at some point you need to use a metallic ball to power a jumping pad. However, I found an alternative way to conduct electricity and mistakenly assumed that the launch pad was meant to get the metallic ball. So, for the next 15 minutes, I ran around in circles, trying to figure out where the hell I was supposed to use it.