Game: Doodle Harmony
Genre: Puzzle, Point & Click
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer | Publisher: Rebelião Studio
Controller Support: No
Price: US $ 1.99 | UK € 1.69 | EU £ 1,99
Release Date: October 30th, 2023
Review code used with many thanks to Rebelião Studio.
Are you a doodler? Meaning, someone who listens to their teacher or to colleagues in a business meeting, while making mindless doodles on their paper? I’m guessing the developer behind Doodle Harmony is, as the doodles are the stars of the game.
Doodles Have Names
The idea behind it is pretty straightforward: for every doodle in black on the screen, there’s an outline of that same shape in colour. And it’s your job to drag them together, making a satisfying spray of coloured confetti when they match. There are 100 doodles to match, and each match rewards you with a Steam accomplishment with a unique name. Did you know Doodles have names? I didn’t!
There’s only one level, but every time you try again, the doodles are in different places. A timer tells you how long it takes to complete the 100 pairs, and an online leaderboard tells you how other people scored. When I did my first tour and got 42 minutes, I was astonished that people had managed it in 3 to 4 minutes! Wow….talk about me feeling old. I tried it again on my laptop instead of using the Steam Deck, which made it a bit easier. Now, I had an overview of the entire field instead of just seeing parts of it. But still, it took me 25 minutes!
Sound, Graphics and Controls
When you match a pair, you are rewarded with a spray of coloured confetti and a joyful sound. And moving the cursor over the screen leaves a rainbow of colour in its wake too, which is lovely. The doodles and their counterpart outlines are strewn over a white canvas and jitter constantly. And when you’ve found all combinations, the game rewards you with a myriad of coloured banners. I can imagine if you can’t stand flashing images, this may be too much for you.
You can play the game on the SteamDeck, as I have tested. It’s, however, slower to manoeuvre the cursor, and you can’t get an overview over the entire screen, making searching for the right Doodle matches more difficult. So, if you want to try to beat your record of 100 matches, I’d suggest using a laptop or PC.
The music in the background is laidback and groovy, reminding you that you don’t need to stress about the timer: just have fun pointing, clicking and matching them all.
Conclusion for Doodle Harmony
Doodle Harmony is a nice idea, executed well simply and cleanly. Match 100 doodles with their outlines and try to better your own time of completion. Or take it easy and just enjoy the little display of coloured confetti and happy sounds when you match them. It’s a nice, wholesome game for a very pleasant price.
Final Verdict: I Like It 