Sad Owl Studios probably won’t come up to your mind when you have to sum up a couple of game studios, but after playing this game you will remember them as they have developed a simple and yet complicated puzzling indie game, Viewfinder. Let’s talk about it.

Viewfinder is the latest addition to Sad Owl Studios’ arsenal when it comes to the gaming industry. Viewfinder is a colorful indie game that’s all about “perspective” and how you “put photographs in perspective to find a way out of this mysterious world. The game is bizarre and weird on its own and it makes up for simple difficult puzzles. It’s great to see something so simple to the bone and mesmerizing at the same time.

“In the end, you’ll play Viewfinder for its puzzles and that’s A-okay!”

Without any real context, you’re being dropped on this platform trying to get to the next stage. It looks like you’re being dropped in a simulation in search of answers, important answers for the future, and the technology that comes with it. With this bare context, you’re already trying to look for images, trying to see in what perspective these pictures might be important, and get on to the next stage. Even though I love a great story, Viewfinder won’t give you that. The story really is something to tie all of these puzzles together. Viewfinder doesn’t really need a story because you will probably play the game just for its creative development around this “perspective” mechanic. In the end, it’s about a group of geniuses that grew apart in their search for answers. How do you know this, if the game doesn’t really offer linear storytelling? Well, in every area you’ll find a couple of notes, pictures, sightseeing parts, and audio files. By finding these elements, someone with a normal level of logic can put everything together to form the story. Even though the story is very simple and might be a bit underwhelming, the game doesn’t force you to go through all of these elements to progress. You will probably progress through the levels without finding “everything” in the area and this way of “non-forceful” storytelling is always a plus. In the end, you’ll play Viewfinder for its puzzles and that’s A-okay!

So Viewfinder is a game about perspective, so how to explain this mechanic is very simplistic. You fund images or pictures and by syncing these images with the real environment, you’ll be able to create pathways that can bring you to a parallel universe which or just make a bridge to cross the gap and eventually get you to the place (with items) where you’re supposed to be. As I mentioned in the previous sentence, you’ll be able to go to new places with or without important items that you’ll need. For example, you’ll have to find batteries to power up a teleporter to get away from a certain place or you’ll have to use batteries to power up locked doors.

The game starts off very simple but when you’re closing in to the end, they become exceptionally harder.

I truly recommend the game for its creative way to implement these puzzles. Throughout the game, you’ll be able to use multiple apparatus to get the job done. The game starts off very simple but when you’re closing in to the end, they become exceptionally harder. Some puzzles can be solved in 1,2, and 3 but some puzzles will force you into a break and let things smolder a bit. Either way, the use of these different apparatus makes solving a lot more challenging.

Often will puzzle games have the feature to skip levels or give a hint to help you progress. Viewfinder doesn’t have any of these options. As I said before, some puzzles are real head-scratchers and probably can be solved just by logical thinking. The solution to a puzzle is often “right there”, you just have to look and try to expand your way of thinking instead of thinking that “your solution” is the only “right way” to solve the puzzle. Trust me, I’ve been there! In the end, you’ll be proud of your accomplishments.

“The environments are very colorful and feel unfamiliar.”

The game is fairly short and will take you between 2-3h to complete. Some people might find this bad but believe me, the game shouldn’t be too long because you’ll eventually burn out and what was a great game at first, might be thrown away after the ridiculous duration of puzzle-solving. It’s better to make something strong, short, simple, and creative than go for a game that needs a couple of days to finish.

The environments are very colorful and feel unfamiliar. Every level seems different than the rest. The level design is different enough to make you interested in exploring the area and like I said, you will have to explore the level in order for you to figure out the total story. So the choice is totally up to you, to get the most out of it or just go from point A to point B.

“The “itty bitty audio parts” are also vivid and are being told enthusiastically.”

Graphically speaking, the presentation of the game is simplistic, colorful, mysterious, and charming in its own way. Because of the fact that every level seems/ feels different, makes the player stand still for a moment and take in everything the level has to offer which will make you appreciate the design choices. There also isn’t a “typical” fast-paced beat in the background which can make your stress level even heighten more. The developers chose calm background music that suits the game perfectly. The “itty bitty audio parts” are also vivid and are being told enthusiastically.

Conclusion:

This puzzling indie game feels unique due to its simple use of aesthetic elements and simplistic mechanics about “perspective”. Yes, the game is short but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Each level made me stand still for a moment and take in the simplistic beauty the game has to give. Every solution in the game, made me go into an “Aha -erlebnis”. This “Aha-erlebnis” is all about confirming the logical aspect of the puzzle’s solution. The biggest letdown is probably the story but if you’re into something new and you like to puzzle during your bare free time. This is a great game to cover that puzzling itch. I also love the fact that the game doesn’t force the story upon you, it’s clear that the developers found the “gameplay” more important. Sad Owl Studios made a great puzzle game and I can’t wait to see more of them.

8/10

Tested on PS5