Pid

Despite its charming character and colorful soundtrack, Pid is one of the most difficult, at times frustrating games I have played in a long while. It is also some of the most fun I have had with a modern side-scrolling platformer. Pid never misses a beat throughout its lengthy storyline by testing you in a wide variety of unique and challenging puzzles, which require the use of an assortment of items at your disposal. The most important item is the beam, a glowing orb that temporarily creates a small gravity well that can levitate Kurt, Pid's protagonist, and other objects when placed on a surface.

Pid is a long game for one of its genre, taking me nearly ten hours to complete my first playthrough (which was played mostly on the normal difficulty setting). However, a single playthrough can easily be longer than this because throughout the game there are several extras that you can choose to pass by or seek out. I found only a small handful of these extras, many of them the most easily accessible, so there is a lot of replay value to be had by hunting down all of the secrets hidden within Pid. The plot is not award-winning material, but for a game like Pid it works wonderfully, as it provides the backbone for the incredibly fascinating world you traverse throughout the levels. For a game as mechanically simple as Pid, it was amazing to me that it remained entertaining throughout the entire ten hours of gameplay.

Pid's variety is what prevented it from getting dry. Compared to some of its more recent counterparts, Pid does an exceptional job of creating a refreshing experience with each new level, whereas other games in the genre often feel stale by their end. Beginning with the beam, Kurt slowly builds up an arsenal of items ranging from bombs to damage enemies to smoke screens to hide from security cameras. Each item is obtained as some puzzles start to require them, but many of the puzzles are open enough so that you can experiment to find the best way through using whatever tactics you please. Both kinds of puzzles are interesting and challenging, but I had the most fun when I got to choose my own approach. Whether I wanted to (or had to by necessity, depending on my inventory) destroy every enemy in sight or passively float by them using beams, such levels gave me the freedom to improvise. The enemies and obstacles have an array of attacks and functions to keep you on your toes and your mind limber. No two levels are the same, and although many puzzle mechanics are recycled throughout the game, I never felt like I was repeating myself.

The beam is the game's staple mechanic. You can throw out two beams at a time, each lasting for about ten seconds (though you can cancel a beam at any time), and they will propel Kurt, objects, and certain enemies away from the surface they are placed on. Placing the beam can take a little practice because you do not, for the most part, directly aim at the location you want to place it. Kurt tosses it underhand in the direction he is facing, or directly under him if the down button is being held, so you have to get a feel for the distance and arc that he throws with. Sometimes throwing the beam can be frustrating, particularly when trying to toss one directly under Kurt while in the air, but you will make less and less mistakes as you play on. Later in the game you acquire a slingshot to shoot beams with, but its main use is for reaching surfaces out of the reach of Kurt's throw because it cannot be used while in the air. The beam helped keep the platforming in Pid far more interesting than simply jumping from A to B, and also had other uses that made it a great central mechanic.

What completes Pid are its fantastic artistic and musical styles. The lively and colorful world of Pid is one of the most memorable in recent times. Each level stands out from the last, with unique characters scattered throughout to help guide you through the marvelous sights. To accompany each level and event is one of the best soundtracks in any game of any time. Pid serves as a reminder for how integral the music score can be in creating a breathing world full of depth and diversity. The soundtrack can help swing the mood level to level from adventurous to somber, eerie to panicky, and even at times creates an almost creepy atmosphere in a game that is otherwise very spirited and bright. An overlooked soundtrack is a bad soundtrack, which is why games like Pid, that recognize its importance, deserve to be noted for their dedication to creating a rich score that so well complements the aesthetics and character of the game.

Pid is not without its faults. As mentioned, the game is one of the most difficult that I have ever played. Although this isn't inherently a bad thing, some of its difficulty is due to frustrating mechanics and controls. The annoyance of not being able to aim the beam and some other items more precisely at times makes for some terribly stupid errors that result in a waste of an item, loss of health, or death. Another problem with the beam in particular is getting out of it. Especially in the heat of a boss fight or level that requires you to be on the move, getting Kurt out of the beam's force can sometimes be an extreme nuisance. The lack of a more effective way to release yourself from the beam results in a lot of shouting at Kurt for jumping the wrong way or not leaving the beam at all, ending in damage or death. Perhaps the worst culprit of the damnable difficulty is a few sequences within the game that require almost exact timing and precision. For hardcore platforming fans (e.g. Super Meat Boy perfectionists) this might not be such a bad thing, but within a game like Pid, sequences that are difficult for the sake of being difficult break the flow of gameplay and make me inexcusably angry at a game that is not deserving of such unforgiving design. On a related note, the checkpoint system is often not forgiving enough during some of the longer sequences. You generally get a checkpoint at the beginning of new puzzle, but at times I feel it should be necessary to award players with a checkpoint for reaching a certain point within a puzzle itself, especially a difficult one. I also had the unfortunate hindrance of playing on a mouse and keyboard, which platformers are, in general, not naturally built for, so if possible I recommend playing with a gamepad.

Pid's challenges are otherwise commendable, and are yet another reason why I believe this game to be one of the best of its kind. A single playthrough alone is enough for anyone to appreciate the game's superb art, soundtrack, and gameplay, but getting the complete experience of Pid comes with finding all of its secrets and conquering all of its puzzles. A role model puzzle-platformer, Pid achieved so much within a relatively simple game, and is the kind of well-rounded experience that I will be comparing similar games to in the future.