The Pedestrian is rated E10+ for Everyone 10+. It was developed and published by Skookum Arts. It is available on PC, PS4, and PS5; Switch and Xbox releases are “coming soon.”
Puzzle games promise a lot of things. They must challenge the brain in an engaging way, providing a set of mechanics that are familiar enough to ease in but novel enough to remain interesting. They must progress the difficulty such that players are led along of path of increasingly complex problem-solving. They must also do all of this while unlocking that intangible “fun factor” that makes any video game objectively “good”.
The Pedestrian excels as a puzzle game by taking a simple mechanic and twisting it in ways that provide a genuinely fun challenge. Play as a 2D icon that moves between public signs. Progress further by linking doorways, rearranging panels, and solving environment-specific puzzle challenges. The surrounding 3D environments provide puzzle hints, gorgeous scenery, and clues to the unspoken game narrative.
Things I love about the game:
- Short and sweet. I finished the game in under 4 hours. If you don’t spend too much time taking in the scenery then you might finish in 2-3 hours.
- The puzzle progression. The puzzles never become so hard that you become stuck or frustrated for hours. However the puzzles change up with every new environment, keeping things fresh throughout the game.
- PS5 experience. The developers made very impressive use of the DualSense controller. The sensation in my hands changed along with the environment, with subtle difference in vibrations from walking and jumping.
- Family-friendly. The game is rated E10+ for the “blood splatter” (ink) that occurs when your character dies.
- The final puzzle. I won’t spoil anything, but I suffice it to say that the last puzzle went beyond my expectations.
An early level from the Subway environment, which shows 3 arrangeable signs. 
A 3D scene from the University environment, which shows two transition signs amongst the backdrop of a university entrance. 
A 3D scene from the Downtown environment, showing a single sign amongst a vibrant nighttime cityscape.
Overall I had a great time playing The Pedestrian. According to the Skookum Arts (the developers), The Pedestrian is their first release and took 6 years to make. I’m looking forward to seeing their next project, which I assume will begin after some well-deserved time to sit back and reel in all the acclaim. Congratulations to Skookum Arts on a great debut!
Weekend Play is a weekly Monday post sharing about what I played over the weekend. Each post is a 5-minute read that covers one game. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to this blog (Home page) to receive notifications of new posts!
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