Quick Look: Papo & Yo

Little stuff like this is what I love on PSN. I think Sound Shapes is going to get my attention first though.

I love the artistic look of this game. The themes on display are very interesting to me. My mom raised me by herself so I never knew what it was like to have an abusive father. Monster is supposed to be the kid's dad so the coconuts obviously represent gluttony and the frogs are symbolic of drug abuse. I might buy this game because of this quick look. I need to see if Quico makes it through his rough childhood using his magic chalk imagination. Thanks for the great video. Please keep doing more.

Huh, this looks very interesting. Seems like it could go to a really dark place really fast, though.

Reminds me that I need to play Alice, too.

This game looks beautiful and the story is very interesting. Can´t wait to play it. I hope it gets released on some other platform though. I don´t really like playing on my PS3 that much.

Remember kids just say no to frogs.

@simkas: First thing that comes in mind is Shadow of the colossus that looks at least as good if not better when it comes to animation and graphical design overall. Mainly just the super bland environments, poor anti-aliasing and bad looking character models are the things that put me off. Especially right at the starting cutscene where the hair is basically a flat texture, shadows are chunky and model looks funky.

Maybe it's my PC gaming eyes that are just used to better looking stuff but I think this game definitely doesn't look good.

and no, you don't need to start defending this game. This is simply my opinion based on what I've seen in this QL and you don't need to get all uppity about it. Some would even say you should just deal with it.

Flipping every switch you see - the game.

It definitely reminds me of Ico and Alice Madness Returns (Chapter 5 in particular) - in look, mechanics and story - but I really hope the "puzzles" improve after this introductory chapter.

I don't really care for it's ham-fisted allegories, autobiographical or not, but this game does indeed show some potential.

I don't know... I'm way into the story and visual style, but it doesn't seem to make much of its nature as a game. Just push the buttons & do the busywork so you can see the next scene. If this was a movie or comic I'd be super excited to watch or read it.

Mirrormask

Sorry but graphically, this game looks like poop from a butt.

Look of the game isn't bad but seems based off the first chapter that there's little personality to it. You'd think that most kids given a robot that actually works & helps you jump farther or do other things would be happy about it or say something.

Would have been amusing though for the monster to start licking the tropical frogs similar to Homer Simpson in that one episode (too damn many to remember but it's been a while so a least a few years back).

Seeing what we see in first chapter only, the environments are very bland. Aside from the sparse but beautiful street art, the rest looks really boring, and lacks personality. I hope in the later chapters, there is more visual appeal, but the first chapter makes it look unappealing.

PlayStation 3 continues to deliver the interestingly strange emotional games. I'd be interested in playing this, seems pretty cool. Graphical fidelity seems pretty low though.

Definitely seems interesting, but, yeah, this:

@Twisted said:

This looks really cool, don't have a PS3 though. I'd totally get it if it came out on PC.

@Baal_Sagoth said:

The style and surreal setting seem like they could be interesting. I did enjoy what I saw here so it all depends on where they go with it later in the game. The narrative oviously doesn't go anywhere in the QL but it doesn't have to if it actually pays off later in a clever and big way. The talk about autobiographical elements and such does make me exceptionally skeptical though. If you have to say something in the videogame medium than do so and don't make unrelated PR speeches I might or might not give a fuck about. Skilled artists in any medium use it to its full potential and should be done saying what they wanted to inside that medium without dropping hints and allusions everywhere. Not saying this is the case with "Papo & Yo" but promoting it with hints of personal drama seems like shooting yourself in the foot if the game slowly builds to that revelation and otherwise it would be just a shady, pretentious marketing tactic (if the game doesn't actually deliver on that theme).

Other than that the early game 'puzzles' seem to point toward yet another 'indie' or 'experience' game that might not be interested in delivering whatsoever when it comes to the actual game interactivity being meaningful. But it might just as well be a slow start. But I have to agree on the potential and undoubtedly some unique elements so thanks for showing of the game!

Talking out of your ass. Giantbomb style.

Wonder if anyone is keeping track of how many times vinny brings up ghostbusters, and more importantly, the library scene.

@Vortextk said:

Wonder if anyone is keeping track of how many times vinny brings up ghostbusters, and more importantly, the library scene.

6 since joining Giant Bomb (obviously only including recordings).

This looks really cool.

This seems... pretentious.

@Smokey_Earhole: Oh boy. Getting schooled by substantial, meaningful and very constructive counterpoints. Random fucking internet smartass style.

Well played.

@Baal_Sagoth said:

The style and surreal setting seem like they could be interesting. I did enjoy what I saw here so it all depends on where they go with it later in the game. The narrative oviously doesn't go anywhere in the QL but it doesn't have to if it actually pays off later in a clever and big way. The talk about autobiographical elements and such does make me exceptionally skeptical though. If you have to say something in the videogame medium than do so and don't make unrelated PR speeches I might or might not give a fuck about. Skilled artists in any medium use it to its full potential and should be done saying what they wanted to inside that medium without dropping hints and allusions everywhere. Not saying this is the case with "Papo & Yo" but promoting it with hints of personal drama seems like shooting yourself in the foot if the game slowly builds to that revelation and otherwise it would be just a shady, pretentious marketing tactic (if the game doesn't actually deliver on that theme).

Other than that the early game 'puzzles' seem to point toward yet another 'indie' or 'experience' game that might not be interested in delivering whatsoever when it comes to the actual game interactivity being meaningful. But it might just as well be a slow start. But I have to agree on the potential and undoubtedly some unique elements so thanks for showing of the game!

"To my mother, brothers and sisters with whom I survived the monster in my father." is the first thing the game shows you when you hit New Game. So....

This game is relevant to my interests. I will have to check it out. Also, I can't find the subscribe button Vinnie.

@Tikicobra: Why?

So I will come back to this quicklook :P had to stop it so I could wait and play it first, looks great though pretty pumped

ChalkZone with splashes of child abuse. Sign me up.

@RVonE said:

@Tikicobra: Why?

Yes... why does this seem pretentious?

I appreciate trying to use allegory and tell a different kind of story with a different kind of setting, but the dedication at the beginning really puts me off. It'll be interesting to see how the super-personal nature has an effect on people's reactions and reviews.

I'm glad games like this are out there, but it's not for me.

@Tikicobra said:

This seems... pretentious.

Something tells me you're a fan of Jim Sterling for describing an abstract indie game as "pretentious." I agree with other commenters who ask you to elaborate why you think so. Otherwise, you kind of sound like a jerk.

This game seems interesting.. more-so than I was expecting.

.yes I need to play Alice too, bought the damned game!

Interesting. Child abuse is a very difficult topic to handle. I'll probably pick this up to see how the rest of it goes

As a native Brazilian Portuguese speaker, I can attest that they're speaking gibberish. Cool game, might check it out.

now this is a game i am looking forward too, the looks and the mechanics are real nice. hope it gets  more complex
and the story is intriguing would like to see were they go with it.
now i just need to get my ps3 back, some nice games on psn at the mo.

@NegativeCero said:

@Tikicobra said:

This seems... pretentious.

Something tells me you're a fan of Jim Sterling for describing an abstract indie game as "pretentious." I agree with other commenters who ask you to elaborate why you think so. Otherwise, you kind of sound like a jerk.

For the record, I hate Jim Sterling. I feel like this game thinks it's a lot deeper than it really is. Like it's trying to stir up emotions like Ico or Shadow of the Colossus can, but it doesn't know how.

Yeah, the concept of this game was interesting before I watched this quick look. I feel uninvolved in anything that's happening in the game. The characters have no personality and other than the shape-shifting and the graffiti, the environment is bland.

I kinda love this. 

I'm so excited to play this game.

So let me guess. Monster is a raging alcoholic. Quico is his son. The girl is Quico's sister but Quico's parents divorced and the sister went with their mother.

How many times have we heard this story?

@Slaegar said:

So let me guess. Monster is a raging alcoholic. Quico is his son. The girl is Quico's sister but Quico's parents divorced and the sister went with their mother.

How many times have we heard this story?

In videogames? I think never. I also can't remember the last time I heard this story in any other form of media. Not trying to be contrary, but this seems like pretty fresh narrative ground to me.

I'm digging the soundtrack. Gameplay does seem a bit simplistic though.

I was pretty excited looking at the screens, I liked the imagination and whimsy... turns out not much whimsy and more psychological venting from the writer... which is fair, I like movies like that, not so much for my games.

I would have been wayyy more down with this if the "message" was more subvert.

@Rothbart said:

@Slaegar said:

So let me guess. Monster is a raging alcoholic. Quico is his son. The girl is Quico's sister but Quico's parents divorced and the sister went with their mother.

How many times have we heard this story?

In videogames? I think never. I also can't remember the last time I heard this story in any other form of media. Not trying to be contrary, but this seems like pretty fresh narrative ground to me.

"Daddy drank too much and hit me :(" Sound pretty stale to me. Maybe there's something more to it, though. As far as graphics goes, it looks nice to me aside from the occasional technical quirk.

Vinny and I are on the same page. I immediately got the Pan's Labyrinth vibe from the first minute of the QL. I suppose it's kind of obvious with the whole child escaping his harsh reality into a whimsical fantasy world motif. That and the drawing magic doors with chalk. This looks like it could be a pretty cool game. For me it rests on whether or not it delivers on the story or not. The platforming and puzzles seem pretty ok and more importantly, imaginative, but I hope it pays off and puts it into context. I think Vinny might have been on to something with the whole frogs = alcohol symbolism.

Looks awesome

Came back from vacation and immediately purchased Sound Shapes and pre-purchased this!

@Slaegar said:

@Rothbart said:

@Slaegar said:

So let me guess. Monster is a raging alcoholic. Quico is his son. The girl is Quico's sister but Quico's parents divorced and the sister went with their mother.

How many times have we heard this story?

In videogames? I think never. I also can't remember the last time I heard this story in any other form of media. Not trying to be contrary, but this seems like pretty fresh narrative ground to me.

"Daddy drank too much and hit me :(" Sound pretty stale to me. Maybe there's something more to it, though. As far as graphics goes, it looks nice to me aside from the occasional technical quirk.

Parent Trap meets alcoholic parent stereotype. Genius! Get the studios on the line!

I hope the puzzles ramp up as the game progresses, because so far this kind of reminds me of Limbo - An uninspired game wrapped in a (Mostly) pretty audiovisual presentation.

I've been waiting to see this a long time. It looks really interesting; I like the look of the game a lot, and the puzzles don't seem too complex. The most interesting thing for me are certainly the real life parallels.

@buemba said:

I hope the puzzles ramp up as the game progresses, because so far this kind of reminds me of Limbo - An uninspired game wrapped in a (Mostly) pretty audiovisual presentation.

Kind of what I was thinking. Too bad Brad is on break or this would be a 5/5 for sure!

@Slaegar: name one game where you have a supporting NPC, that can attack you intermittently.

I also cant think of a game about alcoholism either. riding brumaks dont count.

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