Once Upon A Puppet

I struggled a lot with this one. The storyline was okay, the animation I liked very much and the concept of controlling a puppet is pretty awesome, but when it came down to the mechanics, I didn't quite enjoy it too much. The gameplay was repetitive, it wasn't a puzzle game and more of just an obstacle course game. It was just a bunch of jump here, grab this, swing on that, avoid the falling objects and occasionally shoot a target. I can easily blame user error on my part due to me having poor depth perception so I was raging when I'd fall over and over or not make my landing so maybe it's just me and thats fine; but I do have to say that I've played 15 Indies the past 6 weeks or so and this one sadly is my *least* favorite. Sorry! I would only recommend this game on a deep discount...but frankly I wouldn't even play it again for free. My head still hurts from beating the game. Oops!

Once Upon a Puppet is a story-driven puzzle platformer that wears its theatrical identity proudly, presenting a world that feels less like a traditional game setting and more like a living stage production. From the opening moments, the game establishes a whimsical yet melancholic tone, drawing players into a forgotten backstage realm where discarded stories, broken props, and lost characters linger in shadow. Rather than relying on bombastic spectacle, the experience builds its charm through atmosphere, visual storytelling, and a strong sense of narrative purpose, making it clear that this is a journey meant to be felt as much as played. At the center of Once Upon a Puppet is the relationship between its two protagonists, a puppet and a magically bound stagehand whose fates are intertwined by a mystical thread. This bond is not only emotional but mechanical, as the thread becomes the primary tool for traversal and puzzle solving. Players manipulate movement, swing across gaps, pull objects, and interact with the environment in ways that mirror puppetry itself. As new abilities are introduced, these mechanics grow more expressive, reinforcing the idea that progress is tied to learning how to “perform” within the world rather than simply mastering reflexes. The platforming and puzzle design emphasize creativity over precision. Levels are structured like elaborate stage sets, with moving backdrops, shifting props, and layered foregrounds that blur the line between scenery and gameplay. Puzzles often ask players to think spatially, using the thread to reposition elements or combine abilities in sequence. While this design fosters a sense of discovery and playfulness, it can occasionally feel imprecise, particularly during platforming sections that demand careful timing or depth judgment. Movement sometimes lacks the sharp responsiveness found in more mechanically focused platformers, which can lead to minor frustration when repeated attempts are required. Visually, the game is one of its strongest achievements. Every environment feels handcrafted, with a distinctive art style that blends storybook whimsy and somber undertones. The use of lighting, color, and animated scenery gives the impression of a constantly shifting stage, reinforcing the narrative theme of forgotten performances and lost creativity. Characters and enemies are designed with expressive animations that convey personality without excessive dialogue, while collectible costumes and environmental details add layers of world-building for players willing to explore beyond the critical path. Narrative progression is woven tightly into gameplay, with story beats unfolding through dialogue, environmental cues, and symbolic moments rather than heavy exposition. Themes of abandonment, artistic ambition, and self-worth run throughout the journey, giving emotional weight to what could otherwise be a simple fairy-tale setup. The relationship between the two leads evolves gradually, and while the overarching plot follows a familiar arc, its execution is sincere enough to feel heartfelt rather than predictable. Some pacing issues do arise, particularly when extended dialogue sequences interrupt gameplay flow, but these moments often serve to deepen emotional context rather than stall progress entirely. Sound design and music further enhance the theatrical atmosphere. The score feels like an accompaniment to a stage performance, shifting subtly to match mood and location. Ambient sounds, creaking structures, and distant echoes reinforce the sense of exploring a long-abandoned theater, while character voices and sound effects add warmth and personality. Together, these elements help immerse players in a world that feels cohesive and intentionally crafted around its central metaphor. Despite its ambition, Once Upon a Puppet is not without rough edges. Occasional technical hiccups, uneven checkpoint placement, and the aforementioned looseness in platforming can detract from immersion, particularly for players approaching the game with expectations of tight mechanical challenge. However, these shortcomings rarely overshadow the game’s strengths, which lie firmly in its artistic vision, narrative focus, and imaginative use of theme-driven mechanics. Overall, Once Upon a Puppet succeeds as a heartfelt and visually distinctive indie title that prioritizes storytelling, atmosphere, and creative expression over pure gameplay precision. It may not satisfy players looking for demanding platforming or complex systems, but for those drawn to narrative-rich adventures and unique artistic worlds, it offers a memorable journey that feels like stepping into a forgotten play and helping it find its final, meaningful performance. Rating: 8/10

I'd hate to disrespect this indie team cuz you can tell they worked hard on this. I'll start with the positives - the overall setting of it with you being a puppet and having to go through various theater stages is very unique from a level design perspective. I would say the back half of the game is where it picks up once you unlock more abilities and start being challenged by the enemies so warning - the first half will feel SLOWWWWWW. Another positive I would say are the animated cutscenes, it's overall a very attractive art style used. Now for the negatives...the lack of music is killer here. There is a faint background noise but it's mainly the scenery and the wooden clanking of your puppet feet. It gets old after a while. The biggest complaint is the bugs - OMG! There have been times I'm locked into a scene and magically just fade into a wall from the previous portion of the level and get locked out of an important event going on which forces to restart the checkpoint. There were also times, specifically during the final boss fight when the enemy doesn't even touch you and the game registers the strike as a hit so you have to restart the battle since it's a one hit kill. It's beyond frustrating. The biggest problem most people will have with the game is simply it's pacing and structure - you go into a room, spin a wheel to unlock some portion of a puzzle, move on to the next room, jump on a few platforms, enter the next room, and so on. There is little to no reason to interact with the other characters in this game since they don't hold any weight or impact the story or gameplay in any way so I found myself just skipping everything just going from one room to the next. I hate to say it but it's just boring. There isn't much to do, specifically in the first half. This is where most players I would assume would quit. Overall, it's a solid 6 hour experience but it's mainly for platformer fans that might be theater kids at heart. For diehard platformer fans, you're going to be bored greatly. If you find this for $5 or so on a Steam sale, you could try it but there's so many other better platformers that unless you're some artsy theater person, you probably won't get much out of this.

While I like the story and the combination of adventure and parkour, the game mechanics is what breaks it for me. I can appreciate the chance to figure things out myself but after the hundred death I could use some help. A hint. Anything. Instead I have to search up a walkthrough to figure out how to beat the level. Furthermore is navigation a ♥♥♥♥♥. I have no idea where to go and few levels speak for themselves. Again, I have to look online to find out what I'm meant to do. Maybe it's just me but I would have appreciated a bit more guidance. I love the idea of the game but I can't play it without cursing. I like the artstyle though!

So I loved this game... Storyline was great. Puzzles were good. Mechanics and optimization...could be better. There was lag in input response. Also the one stage where you are having to pickaxe your way up at the wall at the end definitely needs revisiting. Cause man.....the timing of objects falling were crazy fast and Nieve kept getting stuck on environment objects. Overall, 8/10 Game.

当爱变成恨，希望变成恐惧，勇气变成愤怒，那么祝福就会变成诅咒。

This story is beautiful, the gameplay is a bit lackluster with controls a little finnicky, but a great purchase if you're in for a cute little platformer.

Once upon a Puppet schafft es eine märchenhafte Spielwelt mit kreativen Rätseln und Puppenspiel perfekt zu verbinden! Die Theaterwelt wirkt sehr liebevoll gestaltet. Spielerisch nicht immer fordernd, aber trotzdem ein sehr schönes, kurzweiliges Indie-Abenteuer.

"Купил из-за стилистики, а полюбил за смысл" - это должен быть слоган игры. Игра понравилась внешне, а при ближайшем рассмотрении становится обожаемой за идейное наполнение. Игру особо не тестировали, не полировали - довольно много мест, где герой летает (парит в воздухе) на ровном месте, проходит сквозь объекты (не добавили коллизию моделей), запрыгивает в места декоративны, фоновые (в которые не должен был попасть), но это все не приводит к застреванию, поэтому незначительные баги портят общее впечатление, но не являются критическими. Они показывают, что перед нами игра, не давая погрузиться полностью в мир. Мелочи, но они определяют великолепную игру, а эта игра достойна быть таковой. Так что есть над чем поработать технически. Но что важнее - сюжет, сценарий. Я давно не видел таких сюжетов глубоких по меркам игр. Здесь и отсылки к английской классической литературе и французской философии. Только в первой главе оммаж на Шекспира, а в коллекционных предметах игры встречаются цитаты Мишеля де Монтеня. Это восхищает. Восхищает и то, что игру эту оценили игроки. Что интересно, уже с первых минут игры каждый в сюжете, происходящем, в мире игры увидит что-то свое, поймет в силу своего жизненного опыта. Игра похожа на классическое произведение литературное. Такие игры достойны называться искусством. Похожие игры: Отважный Паж (The Plaque Square) - она стилистически похожа, но в ней нет той философской глубины сюжета, что есть в этой игре. Она просто детско-милая, приятная, игровой процесс разнообразный в ней. Механика игры управления двумя героями сразу - это скорее всего подсмотрено из игры A tale of two sons

Я по ошибке получил ключ от этой игры, когда покупал на маркетплейсе ключ к ДЛС "Once Upon A Time" от Dungeons 3. В принципе норм выглядит, особенно учитывая, что мне игра досталась за 12 рублей. Я бы сказал, это самые буквальные 12/10 из возможных.