E3 2011: Papo and Yo Hands-On Preview
By: Jeff Rivera
Situated on the end of Sony's booth next to other games slated for release on the PlayStation Network is Papo & Yo. I was able to get some time diving into a few early sections of the game while chatting with Stephanie Landry, an environment artist for the game. I walked up to it with a bit of curiosity, and I walked away pining heavily for more.
The Papo & Yo demo opens up with a boy, named Quico, and his toy robot, named Lula. Puzzles are strewn about that act as barriers to advancing from one area to the next, and often times you'll need to use Lula in different ways to figure out the puzzle. In one puzzle Quico has Lula pull on a rope that causes some rocks to float, allowing Quico to get to an out of reach area. Other puzzles you can solve alone, such as one where there is a large gap between buildings. Quico is on the roof and needs to get across to the building across the gap. There are cardboard boxes strewn about, and when one is lifed, another building in the area levitates and is moved in a 1:1 fashion with Quico's handing of the box. By lining up the boxes, you can put the buildings they correspond to between you and the building you need to get to, covering up the gap with rooftops. Later on, Quico and Lula meet a monster, who is being called Monster, that needs to be guided from each area to the next. Finding ways to coax Monster along becomes another twist to each puzzle.
The game is still early, but it already looks nice. Set in a South American styled world, Quico's surroundings have a strong dreamlike quality to them. There's a realistic look to things, but there are fantastic elements intertwined with things that almost make it as if you're peering into a child's imagination or a deep dream. The effect is great.
The game promises to have deep themes that should bring some serious emotional weight to the experience. It's been said that the game is an allegory of what it's like growing up with an alcoholic and abusive father. Some of this is hinted at when the demo reaches its conclusion. Right before the demo closes, Monster eats a frog, which apparently he is addicted to doing, and he transforms from a gentle and curious monster into an angry and raging monster that looks terrifying. The demo ends at this point, and we're left waiting until next year to see what happens next.
Papo & Yo is one of those titles that could very easily get forgotten in such a big year, but I'm banking on the game making some noise when it finally becomes available next year. Much like Braid, Flower, or Limbo, these downloadable games with an interesting angle or message are great ways to get a change of pace from the more standard genres.
