Every now and then, an indie game crawls out of the woodwork that you can’t help but be confused by. For me, this summer, that game is Sad Owl Studios’ puzzle-platformer Viewfinder. This lovely game offers puzzles I’ve never seen before, as it plays with perspective in a way that’s truly bewildering and unbelievable, while being simple and incredibly straightforward to understand at a core level. It’s a very difficult balance to manage, and now that Viewfinder is here, I can tell you it achieves this, and then some.
The idea is a bizarre simulation created by a group of geniuses looking for answers and technologies that could illustrate saving the real world. Admittedly, the plot isn’t all that compelling or important to the Viewfinder experience. It’s there, and it’s told in a similar way to Graceful Decay’s Maquette, for example, with audio files and post-it notes and other environmental features that drip-feed you with snippets of the story and paint a picture of who these “geniuses” are and what happened Saw them separate. But the plot never gets in your way or makes you stop and appreciate what’s going on, just as Maquette actively incorporates emotion into its environmental narrative. No, you came to Viewfinder in the first place for the gameplay.
Another comparison to Maquette and how puzzle games play with size and scale in a really unique and fresh way, Viewfinder offers a similar experience, except taking perspective into account. Essentially, to complete the puzzles, you have to use photos and images to create new traversable sections of the level. The problem, however, is that each level has puzzles to solve that will require you to find batteries to power a teleporter to the next level, or figure out how to get past blocked doors and fixed surfaces. Taking pictures of bridges to really bridge the gap between the two platforms seems straightforward, but as the game progresses and you’re introduced to cameras, copiers, multiple realities, and more, the challenge gets exponentially trickier and really begins Do something with your perception and logic.
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The puzzles are pretty simple in their effect, but they’ll leave you scratching your head a lot. Since Viewfinder doesn’t have a hint system, it’s easy to get stuck on puzzles, as there’s no way to skip a level, and you have to complete each level in a very linear fashion to get to the next. However, the solutions to the puzzles are often right in front of you, and you just have to break free from the constraints of logic to crack them, which can be a very challenging feat.
Unlike some puzzle games where pieces are constantly being pieced together, Viewfinder is again more similar to Maquette in that it’s a less cluttered but well thought out experience. Each level is short but well-crafted, with unique questions to boot. You’ll never feel like you’re treading on familiar ground, and there’s always a fun way to prolong your time in each level, thanks to tons of wacky Easter egg-like secrets and tricks, including finding the title of each chapter Exclusive collectibles.
Then there’s the presentation, which is truly top notch. Viewfinder has a very charming aesthetic, and you’ll often spend time admiring the beauty of a level before attempting to solve a puzzle. The music is relaxing and soothing, and the voice acting is charming and lively as you discover the narrative files dotted around, literally bringing life to every character involved in the story.
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While it may seem a little pessimistic to say it, with such a confusing playstyle, I expect to run into some weird and wonderful bugs and issues when playing Viewfinder, which happens when you beg your own unique solutions to problems matter. But I never did. Viewfinder feels very refined and compact, which only makes the experience more special and immersive.
Viewfinder is very unique and fresh. This is a truly fantastic puzzle game that stands out in a saturated genre and leaves players wondering and amazed after each level. I still think the narrative lacks some weight and it could use some more compelling ways to tell a story instead of relying on discoverable audio files for the most part. Overall, though, it’s hard not to be blown away by the game and the kind of immersive puzzles it offers. I can’t wait to see how Sad Owl Studios shatters my perception of reality and logic.
