Pikuniku from Sectordub and Devolver Digital is a weird and wonderful platformer. Unfortunately, after the first hour or so, you’ve really seen all there is on offer and not long after that, the game is over.
Pikuniku is essentially a puzzle platformer. Played from the perspective of Piku, players need to help a variety of weirdos and save the world from the “benevolent” Mr Sunshine.
Helping these characters pretty much boils down to kicking stuff. Piku can jump and he can kick and to get around the world, he needs to jump and he needs to kick.
Pikuniku Review
Seriously. All this guy does is kick. Should you need to find something. Kick it. Should you need to move something, kick it.
Do you need to introduce yourself to a character? Kick them.
And it’s strange yet somehow also charming and hilarious. Piku himself is just a blog with legs so watching him bounce around and see his leg stretching to kick the crap out of everything never gets old. The game though certainly does.
Roadhouse!
There’s only so much variety of gameplay that can be included when there are so few mechanics. Sure, eventually you find some hats and items that Piku can use but the basics never change. Jump, kick, jump, kick.
It’s good in a way that the game is over so quickly yet it seems to be over and done with so quickly that I almost felt like it wasn’t even worth it.
The narrative is almost interesting enough to hold your attention, but not quite. Mr Sunshine is harvesting this world of all its resources and giving the residents coins in exchange. There’s almost a commentary of late-stage capitalism here. Almost.
Peanuts, Caramel and Chocolate
Instead of really going for it though, the narrative in Pikuniku is mostly window dressing. A vague reason for why you’re jumping and kicking your way around. It’ll keep you entertained for a little while, but Pikuniku is a game that’s not likely to be worth your time.
Which is a shame, because it looks great, sounds great and could have been so much more.
Pikuniku was reviewed on Switch using a digital code provided by the publisher.
PowerUp! Reviews
Game Title: Pikuniku
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Weird and wonderful - 7.4/107.4/10
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Over too soon - 4/104/10
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Not all that much to it - 5.3/105.3/10
