Developer: Skookum Arts LLC
Publisher: Skookum Arts LLC
Available On: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S
Reviewed on Xbox Series S
Whenever I was riding in the car as a kid, there was this game I played where I imagined a little stick figure running on telephone wires, jumping across rooftops, or bobbing and weaving through traffic. Sometimes I would even hold up my fingers to the window and move them like legs to make the fantasy feel more real. The Pedestrian doesn’t quite hit all of those notes from my childhood imagination, but it takes the concept of navigating through the environment as a stick figure and runs with it, creating one of the most charming and memorable puzzle games in recent memory.
Although there’s a lot to unpack in regard to how the puzzles work, the most noticeable feature in this game is its visuals. The world of The Pedestrian is presented in 3D, complete with cars speeding along to their next destination, leaves that rustle and blow about in the wind, and tons of small details that make it feel even more grounded. However, the game is actually played on 2D planes overlayed on the 3D environments, often in the form of road signs, blueprints, or other pieces of informative imagery. Playing as either a stick man or woman, you have to figure out how to travel between these signs and solve their puzzles, moving deeper into the heart of the city in the process.
For the most part, Skookum have crafted The Pedestrian to have a very gradual difficulty curve. Early puzzles task you with simple objectives like climbing ladders, opening doors, and jumping across gaps, but new mechanics get introduced regularly to keep things exciting and new. Some puzzles will have multiple signs on screen at once, forcing you to draw lines to connect them via doors, while others will feature hazards, keys, electrical circuits to charge. There’s an excellent sense of progression that makes each puzzle solved feel like a satisfying victory, doing an excellent job of training you in the different mechanics before fully testing your mastery of them.
Unfortunately, this curve isn’t consistent and skyrockets unexpectedly towards the end. One of the final mechanics the game throws at you felt poorly explained and I found myself having to figure it out through excessive trial and error before it clicked with me. While games like The Witness have actually made the lack of explanation part of the experience, the fact that everything else in this game is explained so perfectly and then drops the ball near the end is a little jarring and completely ruined the pacing.
Massive difficulty spikes can always be intimidating, but another fear I always have going into puzzle games like this is the possibility of screwing something up and making it impossible to progress. Thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be an issue here. While there isn’t a designated “Reset” button for the puzzles, it’s super easy to start one over if you’ve worked yourself into a corner. Walking into a hazard like a laser or saw blade will kill you, set you back to the starting position, and reset any switches and items in the puzzle. Disconnecting a room has the same effect, which on one hand means you need to really plan out your steps, but also means it’s easy to reset a puzzle when things aren’t looking great.
When all is said and done, The Pedestrian is only about 3-4 hours long. I knocked it out in two sittings, but it’s the perfect length for a nice night in with a game. It’s also on Game Pass, which is how I played it, so if you’re a subscriber and think this sounds like something you might be interested in, give it a try.
FINAL VERDICT
If you’re a fan of puzzles games and haven’t played The Pedestrian, then you need to change that. Despite its short length, it features some incredibly imaginative and clever puzzles and doesn’t feel overwhelming in its difficulty. Mind you, there is a notable spike towards the end when a new gameplay mechanic isn’t introduced properly, but aside from that it’s a fairly smooth experience that does a good job of training you in its rules before testing your ability. Finally, it’s all wrapped together with one of the most unique visual designs around. If you’re into puzzle games, gorgeous aesthetics, or simply looking for something new to try, consider picking up The Pedestrian.
– Zack Burrows
