Genre: Puzzle, Music, Strategy
Publisher: Chump Squad
Developer: Gwen Frey
Platform: Nintendo Switch [reviewed], PS4, Xbox One PC
Release: October 17, 2019
Price: $19.99
It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a game and that’s because I spent a week in the hospital dying of pneumonia that I figured was simply a bad cold. After being released I was on bed rest and in that time, I played a lot of games that would stimulate my brain. Figured I would give something a workout since my physical body had betrayed me.
The game ticked off all my prerequisites for what I was looking for
In my quest for audio visual stimulation and pretty much anything to cure my boredom in-between my DoorDash orders for food, I stumbled across Kine on the Nintendo Switch. The game ticked off all my prerequisites for what I was looking for: it was a puzzle game, it was based in jazz music, and it was really simple to get into before it quickly turns your brain into jelly just as you think you’ve figured it all out.
Kine is the sort of game that I’d lump into puzzle-platformer; although there really isn’t any platforming in the traditional sense. Kine buts you into the shoes of sentient musical instruments on their quest to perform the greatest jazz concert ever. It’s an interesting enough premise that allows this puzzle game to come with a fully fleshed out story.
The puzzles themselves also keep you on your toes as each musical instrument interacts with the world in a different way. Everything is laid out into a 3D grid and it’s your job to guide your instrument to the end of the puzzle area, usually to collect something like music sheets. But it’s how you guide each instrument where the challenge lies.
For instance, if you are controlling the trombone, you’ll be able to use his slide to extend yourself up in any given direction as well as having to contend with his horn going in another direction. This means that the puzzle areas require you to move smartly and think several moves ahead as there usually is only a single way to complete a stage. The accordion can stretch and compact, the drum-set can move across his cymbal stand to adjust his positioning as is great across gaps.
It’s all a good bit of fun and means that a single type of area can be completed in several different ways depending on the character you are using. But it all goes fubar when the game starts putting in multiple band members onto a single stage. You then control several characters and need to use their individual skills to help reach the goal. Throw in having to activate switches and you have a game that is going to wreck your brain.
This is all backed by a jazzy soundtrack that borrows heavily from popular soundtracks, most notably La La Land. It’s no Charlie Parker but it’s enough to keep the mood feeling light. Add in a lot of colorful cartoon graphics with neat pencil line work and you have a pretty puzzler that relaxes you as much as it infuriates you.
But it’s more that simply completing puzzles as the story permeates every stage. The character you play will interact with you and the world chatting up a storm, especially when multiple band mates are on a stage and poking fun at each other. This all usually happens at the start of a map but it’s just enough to give the world some depth and does help pull you into the adventure.
His pattern indicates 2 dimensional thinking
Kine isn’t a very long game once you understand the mechanics of the trio but one that should challenge you right to the very end. The charming cast of characters helps up the enjoyment alongside the jazzy soundtrack. It’s all a good bit of fun and the 3D nature of the stages can really make your brain hurt. As a wise man once said: “He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates 2 dimensional thinking.” And that’s how I felt whenever I figured out a particularly tricky power. Love me that 3D thinking
Kine is a great bit of fun and challenge, and especially great for fans of jazz music and puzzle games. Sure, it’s a niche of a niche, but it hit me right in the happy and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s not perfect and the difficulty spikes pretty hard, but a little workout for the brain never hurt anyone.
Kine is a fun little puzzler that charms you as it’s punishing you
Final Score: 3.5/5
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