Kine Review (Switch)

Review Code Used Many Thanks To Pixel River

Help three instruments get their big break!

Kine is a 3D narrative puzzle game about three instruments….. With their own passions, abilities, and characteristics! This ragtag group of instruments will face a variety of hardships as they progress through this complex and colorful city and toward their big break. Can you help Quat, Euler and Roo in their quest as they struggle to form a band and find their big break in the world of entertainment.

As you play Kine the story unfolds through cartoon style speech bubbles that appear above the characters heads during each level. Maybe I should say stages instead of levels as it is after all what the three instruments are striving for: to appear on the stage. Anyway, it’s a story that’s all about their pursuit of forming a band and their dreams of hitting the big time. It’s also about friendship with a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure! Who knew instruments could have a life just like us? Even down to taking on a office job to help pay their way much like a real musician or actor would do.

Meet Quat, Roo and Euler

The opening stages introduce you to each individual instrument and their move set. You learn how to manipulate them around a small stage filled with boxes. There’s often an obstacle or two to overcome to reach the sheet music at the end to complete the stage and move on the the next one.

Quat is a confident snare drum and the easiest of the trio to move. Quat can roll backwards, forwards and side to side. Quat also has a cymbal pole he can slide along to reach further than he can by rolling. Or he can use the cymbal to push himself through holes and push off against the environment.

Roo the accordion is chirpy and cheerful. Roo moves by extending her bellows to allow her to roll forward or sideways. She can also pop out the accordion stands on either side of her to allow her to roll forwards or backwards.

Euler is a trombone who is shy and anxious. Out of the three, I found he is the hardest to move as he has an awkward shape. Euler is L-shaped and has two moving parts: a horn and the handle that can move him away from barriers or help him hang above obstacles in the way.

Kine presents real brain teasers!

Of course the complexity of the puzzles in each stage increases as you move through them and it gets more challenging when you come to a stage with two of the instruments in it. Trying to work out how to get Boo and Quat to reach the sheet music at the end can be a real brain teaser. You manipulate both instruments around the obstacles and each can be used to help the other reach places. For instance, extending the cymbal on the drum adds an extra block for Roo to move across. Add in all three instruments on a level and it becomes even more of a challenge to reach the sheet music. However challenging it gets, it is still fun.

I found that I was able to complete some stages easily enough and then I would arrive at a puzzle that I couldn’t quite work out. I could spend quite some time trying to complete it but all of a sudden inspiration would strike. Then it all came together in a eureka moment and I had managed to complete the stage. There is a certain sense of satisfaction you feel in finishing a particularly challenging stage when that happens.

But, fear not if you get stuck: Gwen Frey, the game developer has thought of everything and added a very handy rewind button so any mistakes you make can be rewound.

Controls, the soundtrack and the characters make for a great package

It’s all done extremely well with a jazzy upbeat soundtrack to accompany the instruments who each make their own individual note sounds as you move them.

Quat’s cymbal and drum beats to the music as he rolls around the stage and Roo’s bellows squeeze in and out as they expand with air and plays a few notes, it all adds to the story and makes the characters feel included in the story by bringing them to life.

You move the characters by using the JoyCon controls as touchscreen isn’t an option. The JoyCon controls work without a hitch and you can move the camera freely around the level to your liking if your view gets blocked by the surrounding environment. Swapping between characters in a stage is a simple press of the ZR button and it switches seamlessly to the next character.

Conclusion

Over 100 3D stages and side quests and lovely hand drawn visuals of a theatrical and a vibrant city as a backdrop. Add in an enjoyable story between Roo, Quat, and Euler and some humour as they banter between themselves as they follow their dreams.

Kine for me is a great 3D puzzle game that ticks all the boxes. If you enjoy puzzle games too you might want to take a look at Kine!

Verdict: I like it a Lot