Dodo Duckie Review — Waddling Through a Cozy Puzzle-Platformer
Ducks are cute. Ducks with hats are cuter. Ducks solving complex puzzles while sharing life philosophies with other animals are the kind of cute most puzzle-platformer lovers aren’t prepared for. BornMonkie’s Dodo Duckie proudly waddles and quacks through its cozy, cloudy adventure where Duckie must solve the mysteries of the universe while learning new ways of navigating the world.
Dodo Duckie combines elements of platforming, puzzle-solving, and shifting perspectives, which blissfully blend in a tale of waddling beyond one’s perceived self-potential. As a duck, you may think you’re limited to endless quacks and funny walks. But Dodo Duckie breaks the norm by indulging in its own subgenre: cozy puzzle-platforming.
Switching Things Up
Dodo Duckie’s charms lie in several aspects, especially its clean and cozy aesthetic (kudos to the art direction) and colorful environments. However, what stands out is its core perspective switch mechanic. With the press of the button, Dodo can see the world as a 2.5D platformer, or a 3D, over-the-feathery-shoulder adventure.
I spent countless hours switching between the two perspectives, simply for the bliss of it. Yes, yes, the switch helps you solve challenging puzzles, but watching Dodo explore the world through different angles helped expand my horizons.
I believe this tunes into the game’s philosophical take on trusting in one’s potential, too. You know a developer is doing wonders with their game when the title explores life’s mysteries through simplicity.
It’s tempting to solve a puzzle but come back to that area of the game just to have a different take. What would that corner around that tree look like if I saw it from behind? What if I switched perspectives and jumped to a ledge... would that lead me somewhere?
Thankfully, Dodo’s curiosity is well-rewarded with each switch, jump, and quack. And I wasn’t busy exploring and just admiring Dodo’s new hat; the little one fell asleep and snored on screen. Oh my heart <3
Cozy Puzzle-Platforming
More often than not, puzzle-focused games have a sense of urgency to them. Perhaps someone needs to be saved, or a clock’s ticking, and unless you solve the puzzle, it’s game over. Some of these concepts may apply to Dodo Duckie, but at no point did it ask me to rush through it. I, for one, admire this design direction.
As minimalistic as the controller layout is, I believe Dodo Duckie’s keep-exploring-at-your-own-pace design philosophy is what carries it beautifully across the different levels. It’s my curiosity that led me to the next area. And then, the next. Then, another one. And, before I knew it, I was learning new abilities and letting Dodo have a good time.
While Dodo is a little confused about what truly makes a duck? These questions are answered by equally lovable beings in this universe. In these interactions, Dodo and others talk about ongoing situations that require some attention, as well as snippets of writing about life and the universe scattered across the game’s different sections.
The gameplay loop keeps things interesting by adding layers of complexity to its level design and puzzle components. From carryable cubes to pocket-friendly eggs, Dodo can use tangible objects to shift and change a level’s pathways and obstacles.
If you’re as slow as me at puzzle games, Dodo Duckie will feel like a relief since none of these puzzles are extremely daunting or tough to crack.
Dodo Duckie - A Journey of Smiles and Glides
It’s clear as a cloudy day in Dodo Duckie to me - this adventure was crafted with heart. Precious time was taken to develop its adorable little animations, to write philosophical NPC exchanges, and to design the details of each perspective-oriented puzzle-solving.
It’s an experience that will leave you with a lot of smiles and even more hats. There are so many hats! They all look so adorable on Dodo. Between the game’s complex perspective shifts and reflex-testing platforming, I’m happy to have experienced this little adventure and can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it.
