Wuppo Review

Any number of reasons could see someone evicted from their place of residence and have to find a new home, and it’s a plight many would have had experience with. Wuppo is a game that takes that situation and turns it into a charming little adventure, one that focuses on positive relationships and also the fate of the entire world.

In Wuppo you are a Wum that is evicted from the Wumhouse after spilling ice cream everywhere, which leads to having to find a new place of residence. The world of Wuppo is one that can be explored freely, though some areas are off limits until you have the right items to progress, and it is filled with puzzles to solve as well as enemies to defeat. Early on you’ll be presented with a gumgumgun that can be used to defeat enemies and destroy some blocks to open pathways, and this can be upgraded by purchasing specific items though it can take a bit of time to earn the cash to do that.

The controls of Wuppo are simple with your Wum able to traverse the land by walking and jumping. You will pick up a lot of different items and with some many buttons unused in general play you can use them as hotkeys. This way you can constantly change what items you can quickly bring up in different areas, as each would require a slightly different load out to navigate without coming to too much harm. The application of hotkeys is very simple allowing change on the fly, though it is advisable to sort out bindings before fights, as the game doesn’t pause when applying them.

While Wuppo does look charming, don’t let that facade fool you into thinking that things will be a walk in the park, as there are some complex puzzles and incredibly tough bosses that you’ll need to face off against in the game’s approximate 10 hour playtime. Most of the time you’ll need to experiment a bit to get the desired results, with one large puzzle standing out in particular for that approach. Wuppo hardly ever guides you leaving it up to you to work out how to progress. This does lead to a couple of moments of frustration, mainly do to with design.

Though the majority of Wuppo’s design is fine there are moments where it is hard to make out specific buttons or levers to pull, as well as what the pathways were. This is down to some darker colours being used which makes areas and items of progression blend in with the background, despite the colour and brightness being fine in other areas. These design choices contributed to the more challenging parts of Wuppo to deal with.

What Wuppo does have though is variety in its designs. All the bosses are unique meaning you have to adapt to the various situations. Early on this isn’t a major problem as the boss fights are relatively easy but as you reach the midway point fights become tough, so expect to be defeated a few times before working out the patterns. Wuppo does have a generous saving system so you’re never too far from a checkpoint, and you can always back out of a boss fight to go pick up things like healing items so you never feel stuck in that regard.

Outside of the puzzles and boss fights the world of Wuppo is quite delightful, which each area having its own distinct style and music to fit it. The Wumhouse is quite a laid back and chilled zone compared to the hustle and bustle of Popo City. There’s also a small themepark to visit where your Wum can enjoy the rides and play a minigame. The developers really have gone the extra mile to make the world a fleshed out place.

Wuppo’s story does jump around a bit, with various threads appearing and then being solved overly swiftly, and it’s not helped by being quite predictable. However there are a few unexpected little turns that do genuinely surprise, presenting characters and items that you would not think of appearing in the game. It’s genuinely a feel good tale.

What’s Good:

  • Artstyle is unique
  • Very easy to pick up.
  • Variety in environments and boss fights.
  • Puzzles are challenging.

What’s Bad:

  • Menu can be a bit cumbersome.
  • In some areas interactive items blend with background.

If you like charming platformers then Wuppo may just be for you. The game offers a fun, though at times frustrating experience with a number of challenges to overcome. The world of Wuppo is quite unlike any other and filled with a lot of neat little touches, and though the story may be predictable it is well-told, likeable and easy to pick up.

Score: 8/10

Version tested: PS4

Written by
From the heady days of the Mega Drive up until the modern day gaming has been my main hobby. I'll give almost any game a go.