“He was still too young to know that the heart’s memory eliminates the bad and magnifies the good, and that thanks to this artifice we manage to endure the burden of the past.” – Gabriel García Márquez
Overview
Skaramazuzu is a unique puzzle game that manages to be simultaneously dark and cute! Players must follow Zuzu on his adventure and help him find his memories.
Developer: Bleeding Moon Studio, Iphigames
Released: 3rd April 2024
Price: £8.50
Platforms: Windows
Available on: Steam
Engine: Unity
Narrative
The game follows Skaramazuzu as he traverses a strange limbo-esque land in search of his memories. Introducing himself with his self-assigned nickname Zuzu he meets the many eclectic inhabitants of the land, each with their own stories and problems. They all appear as shadows but take a variety of forms, including a dog and a bird. The story is dark and full of peril but has some lighter poignant moments to add some balance and contrast and even manages to be somewhat emotive in places.
Gameplay
In order to recover his memories Zuzu is instructed by a ‘master’ to find a set of 4 keys. As Zuzu explores he asks the various NPCs for help but is always met with a request which often leads to seeking further help and even more new requests such as fetching water, or fixing a statue creating a fairly structured and linear experience with a fair bit of back and forth.
There are a number of puzzles to solve in order to successfully comply with the many requests and find the keys, they are fairly straightforward and there is some consistency throughout. The main types of puzzles are inventory and code based – a notepad may be handy! The conundrums, whilst sometimes simple are still satisfying and very enjoyable. Upon finding the keys, Zuzu can open a door to get an orb key and unlock a memory which will upset some guardians leading to some more dramatic moments.
Styling
Skaramazuzu features simple but effective illustrative artwork with a slight cartoon style to it. It is coloured entirely in black, white and grey, with very occasional, and purposeful splashes of red. The linework is prominent without being domineering and manages to maintain a light feel. The visuals match the character and narrative perfectly and really emphasise the tone of the overall experience.
The soundtrack features creepy piano music with dramatic strings. It builds tension well where appropriate but is implemented discreetly with a well-thought-out subtlety that adds to its impact. The voices are largely gibberish but each character sounds distinct giving the game an unusual but unique feel in terms of its sound design.
Summary
Overall, Skaramazuzu is a great little puzzle game that will take around 4 hours to complete. It boasts cute and creepy characters and setting depicted in charming black-and-white artwork, a poignant narrative, casual gameplay, and original sound design. The puzzles are familiar and nothing new is offered in this respect but the experience as a whole is quite unique and a lot of fun. I really enjoyed this game and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different!
Looking for more cute but creepy game? Check out these reviews:
Beacon Pines – A Cute and Creepy Adventure Game – Cat Museum – A Brilliantly Bizarre and Surprisingly Moving Puzzler – Papetura – Stunning, Beautiful, Frustrating!
