Few games make me feel incredibly uncomfortable that aren’t part of the Resident Evil series. There are so few that I can’t think of one right off the top of my head. Well, maybe Metal Gear Survive, but that’s for a different reason. Anyway, games, like films, have a purpose and they usually push narratives that can connect with you. The good ones usually are the memorable ones, even when you know there is an ultra-creepy undertone propping it all up.
Welcome to Smile for Me from developer LimboLane. It’s an adventure game that has an uncomfortable narrative underneath that forces you to make people happy…or else. Using simple mechanics, very basic graphics (like a PaRappa the Rapper nightmare, minus the catchy beats), and driven by an unsettled undertone, the game truly is an experience to behold.
Let’s make everyone happy and get into this.
A narrative to remember…or forget
Doctor Habit runs the Habitat filled with his habitants who are all angry or unhappy in some way shape or form. From failing family life to broken hearts, there are a lot of problems going around. Habit’s goal is to fix their problems, turn their frowns upside down, and all while making the entire process incredibly unsettling and uncomfortable. Seems like a decent plight, right? Well, your character is sent in to dwell with the habitants and uncover Habitat’s secrets, while also making the residents happy through various methods. Each has a particular problem, and you must figure out the solution.
Also, you’re judged by your efforts and results. So, you know, no pressure.
This game caught my attention because of its story. The mixture of hand puppet video and 2D/3D graphics within some warped-looking environment certainly screamed ART, and it didn’t disappoint in its delivery, at least on the narrative side of the tracks. The game is warped and weird, akin to any Gumball episode. You have no idea what is waiting around the corner as you progress, but you do know that you want to keep pushing forward to see what’s around that corner. Even when a story is messed up, if the atmosphere and progression are in clear sight, then you want to finish it, if not only to see where the story goes. Well, you won’t be disappointed with how this story wraps, nor will you want to revisit it immediately. That’s not a knock, rather, it’s just that weird.
Kudos to LimboLane for taking an odd leap with this game. It burns a mean imprint into one’s mind. Again, not a knock.
Just smile and enjoy it.
Mechanics that work and don’t
Before we dig into the negative portion of this section, let me throw out a disclaimer – I liked the game…most of the time. The great parts of the game are the difficult puzzles it presents. The worst part of this game is the Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons. The late-great Rob Smith said you should always go into a review positive until proven otherwise. Let’s start with the positive, the puzzles.
The puzzles can be as simple as pulling flowers out of a garden bed to deliver them to an unhappy habitant. It can be as difficult as growing flowers at the right time in the right way. It can also be as complicated as trying to figure out the right angle to take a picture of a weeping woman on the stairs who just wants to be left alone…but also wants you to take her picture…but only of her good side. Don’t mess that one up. Anyway, in classic point-and-click style puzzle solving, you’re presented with a problem, and you traverse the environment in search of a solution. This is the main component of the gameplay, and it works for the most part.
The puzzles are constructed well, and some are incredibly obvious with their solutions. Such is the case with the picking flowers puzzle, where the habitant you’re trying to help traps you in your room. This first puzzle is a primer, as it leaves you with few puzzles solutions to choose from, and that makes it easy for you to solve. But the game doesn’t serve everything on a silver platter when it comes to figuring out solutions.
There are times when you’re just sitting and thinking, “How the hell do I solve this?” One such occasion is when you’re trying to acquire a pendant for a sad/angry clown. The pendant was thrown on a sign by some mean person, who has bad family issues…and hates clowns. Understanding where the pendant is hanging is the simple part. Trying to figure out what you need to do to get it down when the space has no visible way of getting you there is annoying. On top of this, you are given prompts to use your hand (something you acquire early in the game – yes, you acquire a hand) on objects but no real indication if what you’re grabbing is helping to solve the problem at hand (pun intended). When you run into puzzles like this, it can get maddening to the point that you probably must take a break. This game can get difficult quickly.
Now, as difficult as it might be at times, and it can get irritating, this is true point-and-click fashion difficulty. If you grew up playing any LucasArts game from the 90s, then you understand how difficult the genre can be. I can’t tell you how many times I cursed at The Dig. That game and Full Throttle turned my hair gray. Okay, my kids did that, but I’m sure those two games activated hair coloring that paved the way to salt and pepper.
If you’re in the mood for some tricky puzzles, then Smile for Me is your game.
Classic gameplay aside, let’s talk about what doesn’t work well – the Joy-Cons with this game. For a week or two, I tried my best to play this game on the Switch not connected to the television. It simply isn’t fun on the go. That isn’t the fault of the game, of course, rather the Joy-Cons were not built for the mechanics the game contains. The main mechanic of the game is choice, as well as obtaining and using items. The choices come with characters asking you a question and you either nod in agreement or shake your head no. To do that, you must use your thumbsticks or you can physically move the entire Switch in the direction of your choice. And, yes, you must repeatedly do the motions to simulate the nod or the shake. If you’re not accurate, it will take longer to complete the motion. If you don’t know this, Joy-Cons don’t have a great track record of being accurate with motion, nor are they comfortable to use when you’re over the age of 10. Shocking, right?
The best way to experience Smile for Me is on the television using an external controller that has proper thumbsticks. If you go the Joy-Cons route, you’re not going to enjoy this game. It took me a week to finally realize why this game was driving me bonkers. Once rectified with a pro controller and a television to enjoy it on, I was able to focus squarely on the gameplay, which made the entire process far more entertaining. This is the main reason I avoid playing thumbstick-driven games on the Nintendo Switch. To enjoy them, you usually must abandon the Joy-Cons. Can’t wait to avoid Call of Duty when it arrives on the Switch for the next decade.
Overall, the gameplay is saturated with classic point-and-click type puzzles and simple controls. You’re going to have some challenging scenarios to overcome to progress, but the gameplay is worth it. Just don’t depend on those Joy-Cons to help enhance the entertainment. They simply don’t feel good.
On that note, let’s wrap this up.
Conclusion
Smile for Me from developer LimboLane is an unsettling adventure that puts you to the test with its puzzles. The point-and-click backbone will keep the difficulty coming, but the reward for your patience and perseverance will be worth the cognitive trouble you endure.
