The Pedestrian Review (Fbarok)
This review is specially made for those who like to get all the achievements in games.
Some gameplay spoilers ahead.
Description:
The Pedestrian is a 2D/2.5D puzzle platformer where you control a stick figure like the ones used in traffic signs (hence the name of the game) across several different zones. Each puzzle has different boards and there are different objects to use and interact with.
The game doesn’t have a story in its traditional sense, only a sequence of different chapters where you go through different areas of a city, until you reach the end.
The graphics are very simple in the foreground, only two colors are used in the boards where you solve the puzzles, but the backgrounds are 2.5D and very detailed, realistic and dynamic, with greeting lighting, effects like rain and objects moving. I think this contrast works very well and gives a sense of depth that a simple 2D game wouldn’t have.
The music is excellent but different from what we usually see in puzzle games. It varies from a jazz or lounge band music to something more orchestral depending on the chapter and the mood, that varies from melancholic to hopeful. Something else I noticed is how the music stops when you’re solving a puzzle and starts playing again after you solve, acting as a sort of reward and encouraging you to continue.
The puzzle design is very well done and enough new mechanics are added on each chapter to avoid repetition and keep the gameplay fresh and exciting. Overall, to solve the puzzles you need to link the boards correctly and use the switches and objects in a specific way and in the right sequence. Some took more time than others and got stuck in a few because I missed one detail. In the final level things get a bit more meta and you’ll probably struggle to figure out what’s happening, but once you do you’ll realize how cleverly it was designed.
Achievements:
How many: 10 Achievements.
How much time: Around 4,5 hours, without help.
Game difficulty: Easy, in general, but has some harder puzzles.
Achievements’ Difficulty: Easy, one achievement for each chapter, no missables.
Overall opinion:
The Pedestrian is a great 2.5D puzzle platformer, with amazing graphics and an OST that is a delight to listen to. The game’s puzzles are very well designed and very original, something that isn’t easy to pull off nowadays.
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