In this article, Puppet Fever, the virtual reality rhythm game from Sanzaru Games is being introduced. The player gets to be an adorable puppet master and take on a series of whimsical musical challenges. The music plays in a loop and the purpose is to dance along with it. The goal is to find a balance between playing the beat, dancing around and exploring the environment. It’s intended for players who have no experience playing an instrument or who have not played a rhythm game before. It’s designed to be both accessible and challenging for all players.
At the beginning of each level, the player is greeted by an adorable teddy bear character that dances around in front of them. The puppet master then gets to choose what kind of song they want to play, which determines the type of music they will hear as well as what visuals they will see. They then get to choose a setting for the stage of the music, which determines what kind of environment they will play in. From there, all that remains is playing along with the beat and letting the magic happen.
Puppet Fever comes from Sanzaru Games who are well known for developing games such as Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice and Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time. They have a long history of developing games as well as experience developing for virtual reality, so they are the perfect studio to create a fun rhythm game. The developers describe themselves as being ‘nearly obsessed’ with creating the best possible rhythm experiences for players.
In Puppet Fever, there are three experiences to choose from, all of which are designed to be different and unique. The first is called ‘Puppet Jazz’ where the player gets to dance along to a jazzy song in a Parisian café. The second option is ‘Kitty Rock’ which takes place on a rock climbing wall and allows players to play guitar solos using a highly responsive virtual fretboard on the ground. It has a very chill vibe and seems like it would be great for players who are fans of The Beatles or other 60’s music.
The final experience is called ‘Mixed Tape’ which combines the two previous experiences to create an exciting, dynamic mix of different settings and characters. This allows the player to play a fully interactive guitar. The last option is ‘Stuffed Skies’ in the skies of a child’s bedroom. It’s a bit slower than the other two experiences but still has an interesting choice of music with good visuals to boot.
The graphics in Puppet Fever are what you would expect from Sanzaru Games who have developed previously titles such as VR Sports Challenge and Ripcoil. They use stylized visuals with a whimsical touch. The environments look lively and full of life, making the experience seem that much more magical. Each level has its unique features and does not feel repetitive at all, which is impressive considering how short each one is.
The player gets to choose the kind of music they want to play along with, so there’s something for everyone. The player gets to be in control of their own experience, which is an important factor in what makes this game stand out from others like it.
On top of that, Puppet Fever has a decent level selection and an easy to use and intuitive set of controls. It has quite a bit of replayability since the levels are short enough to be completed in one session but also different enough that players will want to play each one several times to see what they look like when played with other kinds of music. The game is designed well and offers good value for money.
Verdict
8/10