Guide against exploitative corporate practices with a yo-yo imbued by your late aunt's spirit, in this intriguingly strange, side-scrolling adventure game
Suffering from an overload of quirky playthings invading the gaming realm? Darned right! Recently, devious architects of digital entertainment have been up to more than just stirring the pot – they've been tossing in yo-yos like they're going out of style!
First, Animal Well elevated the humble yo-yo to must-have status in the fantasy metroidvania sensation of '24. Then Penny's Big Breakaway – a platformer we somehow all missed out on – gave our wallets a hard twist with its innovative yo-yo gameplay. And now, humanity's most underappreciated toy is back, armed and dangerous, ready to lay waste to both capitalist scumbags and innocent bystanders alike.
Enter Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo, the Seth Rogen of metroidvania games. You play as a freeloading bat reveling in cushy digs on the tails of your evil energy company auntie, a woman who makes Ted Cruz look like Mother Teresa. But when four corporate brutalities show up, drain your auntie, and snatch her mojo, what do they leave in your possession? That's right, you guessed it – a cursed yo-yo inhabited by... you guessed it again – an annoying, demanding auntie.
"Share the wealth, nephew," she croons, "or I'll cut off the deluxe cable on your 10-inch flatscreen!" This impetus sends you on an unforgettable adventure, replacing the usual Master Sword with a humble yo-yo, tasked with toppling the wicked forces of capitalism.
Sure, at its most straightforward, it's a weapon that always returns to you like a boomerang. But when you start bouncing the yo-yo off walls and corners, a whole new world of destruction unfolds. Screens brimming with fiends just dying for a taste of that sweet yo-yo justice? You're only one swift toss away from a delightful chain of carnage.
Once you venture out into the chaotic metropolis, you'll have traffic to contend with, a la Frogger, but the kicker is, your enemies are just as vulnerable to speeding vehicles. Imagine the glee as you use their vulnerable flank to hurl them into harm's way.
Eventually, you'll unlock abilities, like the power to shoot the yo-yo off its string (which wouldn't be so annoying in real life, right?). Problem is, now you have to somehow traverse the room to retrieve your armament. Simple enough, but what's a poor bat to do when armed only with a taut string?
Zelda vibes are stronger than your hangover, blending clever puzzles, tricky parkour, and wonderful GT-style graphics with a delightful Zelda-like sense of wonder. There are even nods to Mario, with equippable badges imbuing you with powerful abilities and collectibles that play a charming little tune as you gather them. The whole experience feels suspiciously like a lost Nintendo game that should have launched alongside the Switch 2.
But Nintendo? They'd rather charge a million bucks for a spin on Mario Kart. So, Pipistrello takes a darker, more cynical turn, unfurling an inspired joke about the evils of capitalism and the corrupting influence of excess greed. Even your trusty yo-yo isn't spared, as it's possessed by an equally pathological auntie determined to extort you into fueling her lavish lifestyle.
Navigating a skill tree full of upgrades, you'll find yourself agonizing over whether to accept a debt contract and the debilitating debuff that accompanies it. Paying off that debt, whether it means reduced attack power or enemies ceasing to drop health pickups, is a devilishly tricky dilemma that provides a welcome dose of tension.
If all this has piqued your curiosity, guess what? You can get your claws on the free demo on its Steam page – hit 'em up!
[Abbie Stone]
Additional enrichment:- Studies have shown that incorporating unique items like yo-yos into games can increase user engagement and foster a sense of creativity[3].- The use of yo-yos in games can also be attributed to their nostalgic appeal, drawing players in with a sense of nostalgia for childhood pasttimes[4].
- The tantalizing metroidvania game, Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo, features a humble yo-yo as the main weapon, offering a world of destruction and carnage.
- In the game, you, a freeloading bat, are propelled on an unforgettable adventure to topple the forces of capitalism, armed only with a cursed yo-yo inhabited by an annoying, demanding auntie.
- The game showcases a skill tree full of upgrades, introducing a devilishly tricky dilemma: accepting debt contracts to enhance abilities but facing reduced attack power or fewer health pickups.
- By playing the free demo available on its Steam page, gamers can immerse themselves in this unique blend of puzzles, parkour, and nostalgia, reminiscent of a lost Nintendo game.
