Shadow Puppeteer (2014)

Developer: Sarepta studio
Publisher: Snow Cannon Games
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Adventure, Indie
Rating: 3.9 of 5, 226 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 3.7 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A beautiful, cooperative puzzle-platformer where you and a friend solve clever light-and-shadow puzzles in a dark, atmospheric world.

cooperativepuzzle-platformeratmosphericdarklight and shadowcerebralstunning artenchanting

What players say

Players praise the clever co-op concept of controlling a boy in 3D and his shadow in 2D, but many find the camera frustrating and the tether mechanic that penalizes separation more annoying than fun. The game is short and best enjoyed with a friend locally, as single-player is tedious and there is no online co-op. Some also note the final boss feels poorly tested.

Screenshots

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More by Sarepta Studio

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.