Nippets Review
Between the big AAA releases, I often search for a relaxing and short indie title to play. Nippets, a hidden object puzzle game, from developer and publisher, Blink Industries and multiple talented collaborators is just the game. It instantly reminds you of sitting down as a kid with the picture book Where's Wally? book or Where's Waldo? in other parts of the world, and searching every nook and cranny for his red and white striped jumper, and then, noticing all the other familiar characters hidden on each page.
Nippets takes the idea of a hidden object puzzle game and runs with it. The game is split into four levels, one for each season and tasks you with finding and solving around twenty objectives per level. But what makes Nippets unique is the animated hand drawn scenes that you explore from an isometric perspective, freely zooming in and out whenever necessary.
After a short prologue that introduces how to interact with objects, you're thrown into the first level: an open cityscape with cars driving throughout and people going about their lives. Like any hidden object game, you're tasked with searching for certain items hidden within the level. However, the outlined objects presented on a bar across the bottom of the screen can be pressed on for a short description - a clue that helps you locate it. These objectives are sometimes as simple as finding the item, or the beginning of a multi-step quest, such as finding a giant sausage to then place on top of a hot dog van, or more complex tasks such as gathering the items on an incomplete shopping list at the local shop.
You can interact with a large amount of the environment; tactile interactions where you can open cabinets, windows and blinds, and even tidy up someone's living room. Many of these interactions lead to objective items, but some are simply optional and gain in-game achievements and collectibles like magnets that can be stuck onto the fridge that acts as the main menu. This unguided gameplay resurrects the feeling of unpressured play as a child. No mission has time constraints. Enjoyment naturally builds as you spend time in the charming world of Nippets.
Image: Nippets - Spring
Everything is a welcome evolution on the hidden object picture books and something I hope the developers at Blink Industries and their creative partners continue to add to. It's the ideal gameplay loop for such a cosy and short game.
But it's the story and world building that makes Nippets stand out. Told through the objective hints; each short sentence doesn't waste words and begins to develop the small cast of characters that populate the world. It takes a skilful writer to share hints whilst giving characters personality within a limited word count. The short snippets are charming and begin a narrative through line across every level.
By the time I reached the last level, I'd seen the lives of characters develop, some even in ongoing storylines that culminate in major life events. From a first date, readying for a proposal, learning the value of an animal's support and much more. It emphasises how everyone's story in life is valuable and worth celebrating. But it also cements the city itself as the true main character of Nippets - an ever-evolving home that welcomes people inside, to celebrate life milestones of all sizes.
Image: Nippets - Shop
This attention to detail expands to the visuals, too. Being a hidden object game, the visual design needs to be the strongest and clearest element, to balance the difficulty of how easy or hard it is to find the items. The instant the main menu loads, the hand drawn art pops on screen with a meticulously chosen colour palette that makes objects distinguishable but also feel like a real part of the scene. This extends to the smooth animations, such as characters biking with personality or trees swaying in the wind. It's like a living, breathing picture book illustration. The art design is the backbone that creates the reactive world of Nippets that responds to innate curiosity. Countless objects react as you poke, open and drag: trees drop fruit when you move them, beach umbrellas open and close and a lot more.
As you would expect from the quality of a focused indie title like Nippets, the sound design is given as much care as everything else. Every little interaction has an appropriate sound effect, as people make an unintelligible noise and animals sound as they should. It's the little touches that add to the cosy and charming world, all supported by a pitch perfect, relaxing score that even quietens when zoomed in on important locations like a musical carousel. A perfect accompaniment whilst players are given the excuse to find items and discover the small details of people's lives in a relaxing atmosphere.
Image: Nippets - Autumn
Nippets is a game that puts a magnifying glass on all of life's moments from getting married, proposing, to sharing a meal with your family and friends. It's an unpressured, meditative experience that encourages you to remember life goes fast and it's worth slowing down to create memories and value every moment.
At £9.99, Nippets is a simple puzzle game with enough depth over its 3 hour playtime. A charming palette cleanser to take a welcome beat away from the more hands on games - an opportunity to spend a few seasons observing the lovingly normal lives of the people of Nippets. If you were a child who loved hidden object books, or you are a fan of relaxed puzzle games, Nippets is a wonderful way to spend an evening.
*Review code provided by publisher.
Image: Nippets - Score - 8/10
