Comments on: Review: Puddle (Vita)

By: Aaron R. Conklin

Aaron R. Conklin — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 17:07:33 +0000

It’s also one of the only times the game communicates with you–there are no wry narrators here, like say, in LittleBigPlanet–to nudge the comment toward something more lighthearted. Given that the game’s camera often actively works against you, either obscuring obstacles until it’s to late to avoid them, or, as Stephen notes, making it impossible to reunite divided pools of liquid, the condescending tone is especially grating.

Truthfully, I was reminded of the obnoxious French soldiers from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. “You failed the level? I fart in your general direction, sniveling whiner.”

By: Stephen Byers

Stephen Byers — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:14:08 +0000

It is not that offensive on paper. But keep in mind the context of seeing these messages, they taunt already frustrated players. Just imagine Nelson Muntz’s signature laugh accompanying every “Failed” screen. Cute at first, maybe even funny. But not so much when you are retrying the same level for the twentieth time.

By: Matt Litten

Matt Litten — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:38:47 +0000

It’s funny that both you and Aaron were perturbed by the tone of condescension by the whole “Whine and Skip” phrasing. I’m guessing the developers intended it to be in a joking manner, but after two reviews from two different reviewers it’s obvious the tone doesn’t come across that way. I haven’t played the game, but from afar it doesn’t sound like something that would bother me personally. If they want to call me a whiner for sucking at a level over and over again, I really don’t care. But surely they could have done it with a less smug attitude.