Will Freeman 

Putty Squad review – stab at nostalgia feels pedestrian

An attempt to update 1993's Putty Squad is at best underwhelming, writes Will Freeman
  
  

putty squad
Putty Squad: 'hasn't aged gracefully'. Photograph: PR

There is no doubting the popularity of gaming nostalgia – as proved by the current, vibrant retro scene. It's a popularity that platformer Putty Squad is looking to exploit, and for those who remember the game's SNES release in 1993, playing the new 3DS remake will probably evoke wistfulness for the sense of humour that was peculiar to games from the early 90s.

Fond reminiscence is the best on offer here, however, as Putty Squad has not aged gracefully and feels rather pedestrian by today's standards. The game sees the player command a viscous blob that can morph into various forms to make its way through 2D levels, while absorbing powers and abilities from the environment.

The globule is let down by level design that demands little of its diverse skill set, instead offering the player banal arrangements of ledges and gaps. Equally, the graphical upgrade has only served to dull the original's crisp pixel art and the game's use of the 3DS's display abilities is underwhelming. Putty Squad's playful character, then, is perhaps better served in memory than through this modern overhaul.

 

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