The Swapper

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 224 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 149 out of 224
  2. Mixed: 57 out of 224
  3. Negative: 18 out of 224
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  1. VHBravo
    Feb 3, 2015
    9
    The Swapper has everything I want from a puzzle game. A story just compelling enough to make me want to complete the next puzzle, and the puzzle itself being innovative and interesting to stretch my thinking. The difficulty ramps up significantly at a certain point in the game, and I had to use a walkthrough a few times. My only gripe is that once you complete the game, you cannot go backThe Swapper has everything I want from a puzzle game. A story just compelling enough to make me want to complete the next puzzle, and the puzzle itself being innovative and interesting to stretch my thinking. The difficulty ramps up significantly at a certain point in the game, and I had to use a walkthrough a few times. My only gripe is that once you complete the game, you cannot go back and locate the secret rooms necessary to complete the trophies in the game. I missed out on interesting story pieces because of this, and because it's a puzzle game, the replayability is low.… Expand
  2. TheWayneScale
    Nov 21, 2014
    8
    The Swapper is a 2D platform puzzle game made by Facepalm Games, a small indie developer hailing from Helsinki, Finland. This is their first game.

    Today I’m reviewing the PS4 version. You play a nameless astronaut stranded aboard the Theseus. A huge space station in orbit above a mineral rich planet, Chori V. Shortly after arriving on The Theseus you find a tool which allows you to    The Swapper is a 2D platform puzzle game made by Facepalm Games, a small indie developer hailing from Helsinki, Finland. This is their first game.

    Today I’m reviewing the PS4 version.

    You play a nameless astronaut stranded aboard the Theseus. A huge space station in orbit above a mineral rich planet, Chori V. Shortly after arriving on The Theseus you find a tool which allows you to clone yourself and transfer your consciousness to any one of the clones that you choose to create. This tool, is referred to as the 'Swapper'.
    The cause of the visible disarray of the Theseus is not known at first. But you find snippets of information through consoles which are spread throughout the game containing logs and messages between crew members aboard the space station.

    The first thing you notice when you take control of your unnamed anti- hero is that it feels a bit weird. Pushing left on the controller doesn't turn your character around but makes him walk backwards. You control which way your character faces by using the right stick which is unusual for a 2D platformer. The odd feeling is short lived however, as you soon realise when you pick up your 'weapon' that this method makes perfect sense. The controller becomes an extension of your body in no time at all, such is the simplicity of the button layout.

    It soon becomes apparent that to progress through the game you are going to have to kill yourself a lot of times. I'm not talking about the usual trial and error method of dying, restarting from a checkpoint and trying something different. Yeah, there's a small amount of that in there but I'm talking about actually sacrificing a huge amount of your exact replicas, in order to get from A to B, or to solve a puzzle. It's pretty grim if you stop to think about it. You're creating human beings with the intention of killing them all in the name of self-preservation. But you soon get over it.
    The aim of the game is to collect orbs so that you can access new areas. You get orbs by solving puzzles. Every orb is located in an elaborately laid out room in which you need to replicate yourself to traverse, the puzzle is solved when you collect the orb. It sounds simple enough and for the most part, it is. There were only two puzzles that had me completely stumped but it was nothing a little perseverance and thinking outside of the box couldn't solve. I'd say that the increase in difficulty as you move through the game is perfect. It's always difficult and you always feel a little bit out of your depth which is what makes The Swapper so rewarding. You're gently introduced to new simple mechanics and obstacles and not bombarded with barrage of skills and special moves that some games are guilty of, leaving everything feeling a bit worthless.

    Something I haven't spoken about yet is the look of the game. You can see for yourself that game is absolutely gorgeous looking. Facepalm Games created clay models of the backdrop components and sprites and put them in the game to astounding effect. It's all very rudimentary looking but well crafted. Spruced up by some luscious lighting and beautifully used filters.
    This is accompanied by an incredibly unnerving soundtrack that wouldn't be out of place in Kubrick's Space Odyssey. A blend of ambient synth noises and a morose piano score work well together to create a mood that can be frankly, chilling at times.
    Though the voice acting is a little poor, I'm not sure if this is just ignorant preference on my part as I detest “well spoken, upper/middle class English”.

    The game is short, taking me under 5 hours initially, the pacing is perfect. If you like your problem solving games and enjoyed the likes of Braid, Limbo, Shadow Complex or even Super Meat Boy, you will not regret picking up this game. It had my full attention throughout and I felt fully satisfied by the end of it. I enjoyed my second play through seeking out the very vague and elusive trophies, of which I had a tally of zero after my first go round. And would still have zero if I hadn't used a guide to figure out how to unlock them. I recommend trying to unlock the trophies without using a guide, but only if you have the time. It could take you a while.
    All in all The Swapper is a hell of a game. While I don't hold it in the same esteem as Braid I love it nonetheless. It's concise and a perfect example of less being more. It's rare that I buy a game and find myself thinking about it when I'm not playing it. This, is one of those games. I take my hat off to Facepalm Games and I cannot wait to see what they do next.

    On the Waynescale it gets 4 Wayne's out of 5.    … Expand
  3. kazrisk
    Mar 21, 2015
    8
    The Swapper is a surprising yet oh-so satisfying experience that blends together deep puzzle mechanics and an even deeper story. This game will at times reward you with an overwhelming sense of intelligence as you solve intimidating puzzles, and at other times will make you want to rip your hair out as you insist that "the game is broken, this puzzle is impossible, and nothing makes senseThe Swapper is a surprising yet oh-so satisfying experience that blends together deep puzzle mechanics and an even deeper story. This game will at times reward you with an overwhelming sense of intelligence as you solve intimidating puzzles, and at other times will make you want to rip your hair out as you insist that "the game is broken, this puzzle is impossible, and nothing makes sense anymore!" Not only do the puzzles blow your mind, but so does the story. Hidden in computer journal entries and cried out from the rocks comes a philosophical plot that will literally make you question your identity. In a clever way, the Swapper makes you swap, clone, and abuse those powers to advance through space - and that gameplay opens the door to tackle some real-life ideologies. You need to experience this form of story-telling firsthand by playing the game to truly understand and appreciate the point I'm trying to make.

    The gameplay is somewhat simple. You are given a swapper, a gun-like tool that allows you to clone yourself anywhere within sight. You can then swap yourself with that created clone. Whenever you move, so does the clone - identical to your movement. You can create up to a total of four clones at a time, to total five versions of yourself. To complicate things even more, blue lit areas stop clones from being created, while red lights block the swapping ability. Some areas are lit with red and blue lamps that create a purple area where you cannot swap nor create. White lights destroy clones, which can also be destroyed by touch or death. Death occurs when you fall from high elevations. This sounds a tad overwhelming, but the game has a way of easing you into area by area in a "Metroidvania" style, tutoring you through trial and error. Eventually you find ways to abuse the swapper's mechanics and do tricks that help you solve more challenging puzzles.

    The graphics are elegant and peaceful, accompanied by a tranquil ambient track. They both work hand in hand to put your mind in a zone of productivity and puzzle-solving. Unfortunately, this can become bland at times with dull colors and repetitive environments. At times you encounter a new atmosphere or a new use of lighting, but the game is held back by its outer-space station setting. It would be nice to see different worlds, climates, or even alien technologies that chance the palette and textures. Swapper 2, take notes.

    The story is delivered through varying mediums: computer terminals, secret memory terminals (which you must find for trophies/achievements), and rocks (or minerals if you're picky about your geode identification). These minerals say some absurd things, while other times are quite insightful or flat-out annoying. What increases the frustration is that whenever you walk in front of these rocks they speak. They speak through a dialogue box that fills the screen and slows you down, stopping your flow and forcing you to break immersion. They are also huge rocks, so you can't jump over them. In a game that encourages returning to certain areas to solve previously challenging/impossible puzzles, it is a shame you can't turn off rock-talk. Fortunately, the computer and secret memory terminals can be read whenever you want, as often as you want or don't want.

    When I finished the Swapper, I genuinely had to stop and think about the ideas it expressed. I Google searched around to see if anyone else was processing it, and lo and behold there were forums ready to dissect the terminals of the game. Story aside, as a gamer I felt challenged yet entertained by the puzzles, and appreciated that none of them could be skipped. Every puzzle must be beat. I only had to use a guide for one, and I still feel a slight shame. I got the Swapper for free as a Playstation+ member, yet I would gladly pay the 10 or 15 it goes for. Buy it, love it, swap it.    … Expand
  4. Storm1672
    Aug 26, 2014
    7
    The Swapper is a very interesting title as an indie game generally, while it has one of the smartest concepts in the puzzle platformer genre. Its length and the lack of more than one gameplay ideas has left us wanting more, as they do not justify the title's price. On the other hand it's got excellent atmosphere, one of the best concepts about clones/soul and is so consistent throughoutThe Swapper is a very interesting title as an indie game generally, while it has one of the smartest concepts in the puzzle platformer genre. Its length and the lack of more than one gameplay ideas has left us wanting more, as they do not justify the title's price. On the other hand it's got excellent atmosphere, one of the best concepts about clones/soul and is so consistent throughout all of its aspects that makes the better AAA games.

    If you like this genre, definetely check it out, as it will control your self-centric behaviour about satisfaction through solving puzzles in the best possible way with both making you feel clever and honest.    … Expand
  5. flax0174
    Aug 14, 2014
    9
    The swapper is a traditional side scrolling sci-fi puzzler, the graphics are not mind blowing, but there not meant to be, but they are truly artistic and unique. You control a device called "the swapper" which produces copies of yourself in which you use to help solve puzzles and other tasks. the amount of mystery surrounding this game is overwhelming, the atmosphere is so compelling too.The swapper is a traditional side scrolling sci-fi puzzler, the graphics are not mind blowing, but there not meant to be, but they are truly artistic and unique. You control a device called "the swapper" which produces copies of yourself in which you use to help solve puzzles and other tasks. the amount of mystery surrounding this game is overwhelming, the atmosphere is so compelling too. Truly unique game, loving it.… Expand
  6. BaronMonaco
    May 5, 2015
    7
    I played this game thanks to the PS+ subscription but I'll review it like if i bought it as is no longer available for free.
    A good puzzle game, with a nice atmosphere but a story too basic. The puzzles are well thought to take advantage of the "swapper" this tool that allows you to create clone and transfer your spirit/soul (choose the name you prefer) into one or other.
    The length and    I played this game thanks to the PS+ subscription but I'll review it like if i bought it as is no longer available for free.
    A good puzzle game, with a nice atmosphere but a story too basic. The puzzles are well thought to take advantage of the "swapper" this tool that allows you to create clone and transfer your spirit/soul (choose the name you prefer) into one or other.
    The length and graphics are usual for this kind of indie games.
    I would advice this game only to puzzle games lovers, for the rest of the gamers, maybe wait for a good discount, as there is not much more in The Swapper than any other common puzzle game.    … Expand
  7. Turbodowg
    Feb 13, 2015
    4
    The swapper is an okay little puzzler, whether it will hold your attention to the end depends on how much you enjoy side scrolling puzzlers. The puzzles range from easy to very difficult but all are fair and have a logical way of solving. The graphics suit the game and the music is eerie. I didn't complete the game but put in a good few hours. As a short break in-between playing AAA titlesThe swapper is an okay little puzzler, whether it will hold your attention to the end depends on how much you enjoy side scrolling puzzlers. The puzzles range from easy to very difficult but all are fair and have a logical way of solving. The graphics suit the game and the music is eerie. I didn't complete the game but put in a good few hours. As a short break in-between playing AAA titles this game is a nice filler but not the best indie I've played. Worth checking out but wont blow you away.… Expand
  8. GingerYeti
    Oct 13, 2014
    10
    The Swapper is a very interesting side scrolling sci-fi puzzler in the vein of the original Metroid series but there are no enemies to kill you here. There is a truly artistic feel to it and it is quite unique in it's style. You control a device called "The Swapper" which produce a limited number of copies of yourself in which you use to solve puzzles which get progressively harder as theThe Swapper is a very interesting side scrolling sci-fi puzzler in the vein of the original Metroid series but there are no enemies to kill you here. There is a truly artistic feel to it and it is quite unique in it's style. You control a device called "The Swapper" which produce a limited number of copies of yourself in which you use to solve puzzles which get progressively harder as the game goes on. It isn't a very long game (4 hours max) but it is an intriguing story with questions about morality and humanity that are incredibly thought provoking. Overall, it is one of the best games I have ever played and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone.… Expand
  9. tsakiym
    May 11, 2015
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything more. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it............................… Expand
  10. Malooga
    Dec 29, 2014
    8
    First off, regardless of the overwhelming positive reviews, wait to buy this game. It will be free for the month of January 2015. Now then, about Swapper. If you have been struggling to find that old school side-scroll puzzle fix circa Flashback and PoP (the original PoP), look no further. While there is no actual combat in Swapper to speak of, there is a simple yet deceptively complexFirst off, regardless of the overwhelming positive reviews, wait to buy this game. It will be free for the month of January 2015. Now then, about Swapper. If you have been struggling to find that old school side-scroll puzzle fix circa Flashback and PoP (the original PoP), look no further. While there is no actual combat in Swapper to speak of, there is a simple yet deceptively complex puzzle niche that evolves beautifully with the game and keeps the brain-picking segments entertaining. The level of difficulty isn't overwhelming, with just the right amount of "I'm stumped" before the realization that leads to the head slap that leads to beating the puzzle. It's really the perfect marriage of puzzle and side-scroller, with beautiful scenery all rendered with claymation and common household objects. The story is intriguing, and while I never really grew attached to the main character, I do not think you are necessarily meant to. I personally had a blast using the cloning feature to throw carcasses all over the screen, but it struck my wife much differently as she always felt remorseful when making that inevitable sacrifice. Overall it was a decent attempt at throwing a mystery in the mix, but the short length and rather quick wrap up of the story was somewhat jarring, and left a bad after-taste on the story as a whole. Besides the game being a tad short, there are few flaws to wag the finger at here. The sound is haunting, when its appropriate and eerily soothing although pretty simplistic in other areas, but the draw of finding the next puzzle to complete is fluent throughout the experience, a hurdle most puzzle games fail to clear. 8/10, remember, wait for January and snag it for free.… Expand
  11. ergulerhan
    Feb 22, 2015
    10
    This is a game that you spent over an hour for just one puzzle. Everything perfect. Atmosphere, soundtrack, gameplay. Identified itself from other games very well. This is something else entirely. Unique. Giving 10/10. Amazing !
  12. JBryant0619
    Jan 26, 2015
    9
    The Swapper is one of the best indie games I have ever played. The notion of cloning yourself and flipping yourself up and down to solve puzzles is mind bending in such a good way. looks beautiful and controls really well. must have game for fans of space exploration and puzzle solving. Won't spoil the ending but man is it something to think about. good luck on those trophies though.The Swapper is one of the best indie games I have ever played. The notion of cloning yourself and flipping yourself up and down to solve puzzles is mind bending in such a good way. looks beautiful and controls really well. must have game for fans of space exploration and puzzle solving. Won't spoil the ending but man is it something to think about. good luck on those trophies though. you'll probably beat the game without getting a single one.… Expand
  13. chr1so
    Oct 21, 2019
    9
    Thought this was going to be a run of the mill metroidvania type game but turned out to be really unique with head scratching puzzles. Loved it. You'll sit there for a good period just racking your brains on how to solve it, before eventually getting it. Really satisfying when you do.
    Really good atmosphere in this game as well
  14. Sparkticle
    Nov 6, 2015
    8
    Interesting game with amazing visual aesthetic and ambient atmosphere. It has a nice story to read through and interesting puzzle levels to play through with your unique gameplay mechanics.
  15. HaloFever
    Aug 23, 2017
    9
    Great puzzles. The Swapper was a PS Plus "free" game a a few years ago. I remember watching a trailer and it looked like the game was some kind of platformer with swappable bodies. In truth, it is a puzzle game. There is some mild eye hand coordination required to solve some of the puzzles, such as falling and then creating a clone and swapping into it before you fall to your death. MostlyGreat puzzles. The Swapper was a PS Plus "free" game a a few years ago. I remember watching a trailer and it looked like the game was some kind of platformer with swappable bodies. In truth, it is a puzzle game. There is some mild eye hand coordination required to solve some of the puzzles, such as falling and then creating a clone and swapping into it before you fall to your death. Mostly though, the puzzles require thought, delightful thought.

    The game has some story to it. You start in a tin can crashing on an alien planet. There is an abandoned research station and an abandoned space station. Or is it abandoned? Someone is alive up there and she provides a convincing voice performance. Not all of the story is spelled it in text and audio. Some of it has to be figured out by the player, and I love that about this game. The graphics quality seems a little dated, though this is no retro looking game. All in all, the graphics do not matter much because the real stars of the game are the puzzles.

    While this game was "free" for me, I nevertheless found it to be a game of high value. My play through took about 6 hours and those 6 hours included some fine exploration, reading of logs, and difficult puzzles that I refused to solve with YouTube. If you like puzzle games, I highly recommend The Swapper.    … Expand
  16. Confo
    Mar 17, 2015
    7
    I have no love for puzzle games, the game looks like a simple puzzler, it makes you think its easy, and, although you can't do the puzzle, you still want to play more and finish the puzzle.
  17. alexmanea
    Feb 3, 2015
    7
    The Swapper is a nice indie game where you must solve puzzles throught the entire game. The puzzles are becoming harder with your progression.. Some puzzles are quite difficult but not impossible. The story was pretty interesting also... The thing that I disliked about it was that throught my first playthrough I hadn't obtained any trophies! Seriously, those trophies are impossible to getThe Swapper is a nice indie game where you must solve puzzles throught the entire game. The puzzles are becoming harder with your progression.. Some puzzles are quite difficult but not impossible. The story was pretty interesting also... The thing that I disliked about it was that throught my first playthrough I hadn't obtained any trophies! Seriously, those trophies are impossible to get without watching a tutorial... But I liked the game so I think this is an adequate rating..… Expand
  18. J_R_Taylor
    Feb 19, 2015
    9
    The Swapper is one of those rare indie games that I have frequently overlooked in the past but I wish I didn't, after it appeared for free on PS+ I decided to give it a go. I went in expecting lame 2D "indie trash" and afterwards I was left incredibly surprised.

    The gameplay sort of reminds me of Portal however instead of a portal gun you have a cloning gun. Once a clone is made, it    The Swapper is one of those rare indie games that I have frequently overlooked in the past but I wish I didn't, after it appeared for free on PS+ I decided to give it a go. I went in expecting lame 2D "indie trash" and afterwards I was left incredibly surprised.

    The gameplay sort of reminds me of Portal however instead of a portal gun you have a cloning gun. Once a clone is made, it will match your movement and you are free to swap between each clone to solve puzzles. Some are really quite tricky.

    Visuals and sounds are brilliant, everything looks gritty and real, it's almost as if they have modeled real spaceship parts. The whole atmosphere gives a sense of total isolation and it reminds me of Dead Space without the monsters trying to rip you apart.

    The story itself is told through ship logs and strange stones that are explained throughout the game.

    I am so grateful to have played this game for free with the PS+ monthly offerings but I would gladly pay money for this and I highly recommend it. It is fairly short (can be completed in under 2 hours with a guide) but if you're going through it at a casual pace, you can expect to spend 4+ hours on it (depending on your puzzle solving skills)    … Expand
  19. Basquilly
    Feb 10, 2016
    7
    Fantastic little puzzle game that suffers from lacklustre voice acting, which destroys the players immersion. The atmosphere created by the beautiful soundtrack and visuals on offer, make this game worth your time regardless
  20. Nel
    Jul 18, 2017
    5
    Short, but an great experience while it last. The game is basically a long puzzle game with some small interactions on the way. It has some nice mechanics to it, and the story is very basic, but it works
  21. seriimac
    Aug 5, 2016
    9
    It's innovative. This one make you thinking with swaps, like somedays you was thinking with portals. Top 10 of my indie all-time. And the atmosphere is superb.
  22. fuzzball89
    Feb 28, 2017
    7
    Excellent game-play concept, but it wasn't fully evolved. Game ends before it can really come to life. Story is a blend of original & reused content.
  23. TheCornflex
    Jan 31, 2018
    6
    Kind of cool but kind of too simplistic at the same time. Got it for free, so I can't complain but not sure whether I would have paid for it.
  24. Lattely
    Nov 29, 2020
    8
    An excellent riddle game with interesting plot, sometimes i thought that levels in game are broken but after some hours of trying new variants of completing that levels. I did it and find everything in this game and (of course) complete all levels.
  25. Raziel72
    Aug 7, 2022
    8
    Очень интересный вариант головоломки! Над некоторыми уровнями я долго думал, над другими проходил наугад, но парочку даже пришлось смотреть на ютубе, сам не смог пройти))
  26. Yojimbo2015
    May 24, 2023
    7
    2D platform puzzler in which you control an astronaut who can create clones of himself and switch between bodies to progress. The graphics are a little basic but it has quite a nice "lost in space" atmosphere to it and the puzzles are well thought out.

Awards & Rankings

25
#25 Best PS4 Game of 2014
73
#73 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014
93
#93 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. DarkZero
    May 8, 2015
    50
    Despite being impressed by its visuals and attention to detail, I hadn’t first realized how short and lacking in substance it was, and I always begrudge video games like that being released in the first place.
    Read full review
  2. LaPS4
    Jan 23, 2015
    81
    The Swapper gets the upper hand as one of the best puzzle games of the last years. It's not only because of the challenges it offers, but the overall beauty the game has, both plot-wise and in it's concept. A true gift for those who enjoy the genre.
    Read full review
  3. Multiplayer.it
    Jan 15, 2015
    90
    This is a very peculiar game with an excellent gameplay and an extremely interesting plot.
    Read full review
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