So when Tracy suggested I take a look at PuppetShow: Destiny Undone, I was initially very excited. She described it as the latest release in a really creepy series, and she knows how much I love creepy. So I downloaded the trial and gave it a whirl.
Was it a spook-fest that had me jumping in my seat? No.
Did I absolutely love it? Heck yeah!
PuppetShow: Destiny Undone is the story of Felicia, a (potentially schizophrenic) little girl whose father has mysteriously gone missing. The police refuse to declare him a missing person until at least two days have past, but she knows something is up because an old nemesis of theirs was seen coming from their house on the day she discovered him missing.
That’s where you come in; as a detective, you’re used to solving all kinds of crazy cases.
But that’s also where the creepy factor of PuppetShow: Destiny Undone kind of started falling apart for me. The little evil puppet (which was basically a damaged doll head on Erector Set legs) reminded SO STRONGY of a little mangled toy from Toy Story (the original) that I just couldn't stop grinning whenever it came on screen.
How am I supposed to take this little creepy thing seriously when I can’t help but feel bad for it? After all, it probably just had an unfortunate run in with that evil Sid kid. The poor thing just needs a little kindness in its miserable life. (That’s not to imply I hesitated when offered the opportunity to smash it through a window with a frying pan. Who could pass that up?)
There were a lot of things I admired about PuppetShow: Destiny Undone. It really seemed as though the developers were making an effort to keep things fresh and to think outside of the hum-drum, always-been-this-way hidden object game box. I really enjoyed some of the more inventive uses of inventory items, particularly when I got to use a lighter to burn a rope away instead of using scissors or a knife.
There were also some amazingly fun games and puzzles, like a little area where you had to dress up two dolls (I believe they’re meant to reflect the two personalities warring inside Felicia’s little demented mind, but I’m not at the end yet, so it’s only a guess).
Or, my favorite, a game where you had to move three trains around to get them on the right tracks. Super cute, and very fun. In fact, not one of the puzzles and/or games I’ve played so far has given me stress or anxiety or a headache. Just a good time, and honestly, that’s all any player really wants.
There are some parts of hidden object games, however, that I consider sacred. Like the inventory, for example. I strongly believe it should always be one of those ridiculously obvious parts of any game, which was why I was a little miffed when I found it to be missing in PuppetShow: Destiny Undone. I had to resort to the tutorial to find it, and I’m still mystified as to why it would be hidden in the Tools button (Tracy’s told me she’s seen it there before, but I’m still grumpy about it.).
Furthermore, while you can lock it in place (once you’ve found it, of course) it bizarrely fans out across the left side bottom corner of the screen instead of along the bottom (like a civilized inventory). There are a lot of updates and fresh angles that I adore, but leave my inventory in peace.
My eccentricities aside, there are a lot of things to love in PuppetShow: Destiny Undone. The background music, for example, which was just as amazing as the beautiful graphics. And when I say beautiful, I really mean it.
Typically when a game has dolls in it they’re mostly just super creepy and occasionally difficulty to look at. And, while there are some seriously strange puppets in PuppetShow: Destiny Undone, there are others that make me wish I could hop online and order them. The dolls below, for example, are just lovely.
One of the highlights of PuppetShow: Destiny Undone, for me, in any case, was when I received my very own Erector Set spider doll, who was to be my personal minion in charge of retrieving things that would normally have been out of my reach.
The awesomeness didn’t end there, though. Oh, no. We get to NAME our little redheaded minions. What did I name mine, you might ask? (Appropriate sad face is appropriate, little doll dude.)
When I first started playing PuppetShow: Destiny Undone, I was excited, but more than a little hesitant. From reading the description of the game I was seriously concerned I would be lost plot-wise since I hadn’t played the first few games in the series. Once I started playing, though, I got nervous for a whole new reason: this was not a scary game, and when games set out to be scary and miss they often miss in a way that ruins the whole thing.
Not so in PuppetShow: Destiny Undone. I adored the most bizarre things, like the creepy little Toy Story doll, and Felicia’s clear mental issues, and the occasional excellent grammar. Actually, overall I was quite impressed with the storyline and how well written the whole thing was. There were some cases, like the image below, where I couldn’t decide if the slight innuendo was intended or not (I’ll just bet they’ll share their secrets) and I didn’t really care. I loved it anyway.
For me, PuppetShow: Destiny Undone wasn’t the creepy detective story that many reviews are hailing it as. I didn’t think the scary factor was all that high (except for it being set in the town of Joyville, which I do find extremely creepy).
Even though I didn’t get the chill I was expecting, I got something even better: a really good time. I can see how someone with a low doll-tolerance would find this game unnerving as heck, but I can honestly say all those strange little dolls just delighted me, as did the rest of PuppetShow: Destiny Undone. I highly suggest you give it a try and see if you find it creepy or campy. Either way, I’m betting you’ll have a great time.