Stacking
Review
There is more to these dolls than meets the eye
by Chris Priestman
reviewed on X360
Play around in the doll world (cntd)
The charm of the game is discovered in its effort to go beyond necessity and provide some dolls that simply exist for amusement. Mischief and character stereotyping is all part of the fun, but best of all is witnessing how the ability of your chosen doll interacts with the surroundings. One particular gifted chap can flatulate at the press of a button, and going into a crowd and unleashing the gas grenade will send the dolls running in the opposite direction. Another example is a child who has eaten too many cookies and is therefore more than happy to puke over the dress of a very disapproving upper class madam. These kinds of nefarious actions are called Hi-jinks in the game, and you are given a check list for each level that hints to what characters can perform a Hi-jink and consequently enthuse you to enact it to comedic effect. Essentially the game rewards you for playing around (as if you needed an incentive), and it is great that the developers encourage players to absorb themselves in the fun that can be had in this bizarre world they have created. There are many little treats just waiting to be discovered in each level that will keep you busy for an unprecedented amount of time. I did feel a bit weird about being the Pied Piper with a line of adoring kids following behind me though; things have changed since the 1930s.
Let the hobo guide you
Perhaps the real genius of the game is the multiple solutions for each challenge that will inevitably have you scratching your head when you replay the game. Initially the game seems fairly simple; it offers you plenty of hints to help you towards solving each puzzle the easier ways and the game can be completed in a few hours if rushed through. However, the real depth of the game is not realised until you start experimenting with the different dolls to find the harder solutions during or after your playthrough. You soon start to realise that some solutions require more experimentation, like combining the fireman’s water squirter with another doll's ability to blow cold air to make ice. The one problem I did have at this point is a common complaint of many point-and-click adventures: inventory searching. As hard as Double Fine tried to avoid this problem, it still crops up when you start traipsing around the same areas desperately searching for an answer. It gets a little monotonous as always, but fortunately the game rewards your progress adequately with an often-humorous cut-scene.
Encouraging you to complete the game fully is a hobo called Levi. He considers himself something of an artist and happily creates a stage display inspired by your adventures. With every solution you discover he gives you a piece of a painting, and he also constructs a statue for every unique character on each level that you assume control of. Tied to gaining all of Levi’s tributes to your actions are achievements that no completionist will be able to resist, but the fun of discovering everything this game has to offer will drive everyone else to live out the full Stacking experience.
Stacking metaphors
The stacking dolls become a metaphor in more ways than one. The various layers in the gameplay, presentation and themes that are to be discovered in Stacking, make it a game that is hard not to appreciate. The unique gameplay concept that drew me in works really well, and provides a set of fresh puzzles that lead to a real sense of discovery and satisfaction. The game is close to flawless in its presentation, with only the cut-scenes feeling drawn out at times. They do not really affect what is otherwise a great game though.
This is definitely one of Double Fine’s best creations, if not the best title they have given us so far. Stacking is a real treat for your eyes, brain and that mischievous child stacked inside of you. And don’t worry, no one will make fun of you for playing with these dolls; the layers of intelligence and discovery built into the game are enough to win anyone over.
9.0
fun score
Pros
A simple idea that offers multiple layers of discovery and fun
Cons
Cut-scenes and ‘inventory searching’ drags at times
