Many games are defined by their style, either the gameplay or the art work. There are shooters, role playing games, platformers, top down, 2D, 3D, isometric and the list goes on and on. The newest game from Fat Panda Games, Flat Kingdom Paper’s Cut Edition, is squarely in the 2D platformer category, even if the description for the title is a bit misleading.
The game takes place in an amazing papercrafted world that is threatened by the chaos of the 3D world. The third dimension has been held off for years thanks to six magical jewels, but this peace is disturbed when a thief steals the gems, and the third dimension starts to creep in. It is up to the hero, Flat, to defeat the encroaching enemies and bring peace back to the 2-dimensional world.
While the game is a simple side scrolling platformer, it does offer a twist, or fold or two. Flat is not your normal hero. He is able to change his shape in order to fight enemies. Each new shape gives him a different power. As a square he can weigh items down and block attacks. As a triangle you can dash and defeat round enemies. As you progress through the story you will learn new combinations of attacks and abilities to take out even the largest of bosses.
The art of switching shapes is just a button press away, and the more you play, the more seamless this attack system becomes. Gameplay is quick and fluid, but that doesn’t mean that it is seamless. I am a fan of platformers, even if I am not the best at them. Ask anyone who had to suffer through the jumping puzzles in Destiny raids with me on the team and they will agree. Even with my iffy jumping skills, some of the platforming in this game is off. There are a few jumps that would be more at home in a precision platformer like Super Meat Boy. When you encounter these areas it breaks the flow of an enjoyable experience.
Like many recent games, this title also suffers from a major flaw. On Xbox you earn 1,000 gamerscore long before you ever complete the actual story. You are only required to beat 2 bosses, which takes about 30-45 minutes in order to earn a Platinum trophy on Playstation. The Steam version of the game has four times as many achievements and you must actually progress through the entire story. Not having to play the entire game on consoles is a disservice to the title.
Flat Kingdom Paper’s Cut Edition is out now on Xbox, Playstation, Steam and Switch. It carries an $8 price tag, and it is work the price if you are going to take the time to complete the entire game. If you are looking for a quick and easy game competition (1k GS or Platinum) there are cheaper alternatives. It is fun game with an interesting gimmick, but there is little incentive to play through the whole story on console.
