It feels a little like we’re seeing an adventure game flood on Switch lately. It only feels like yesterday that the new Monkey Island was released, and with Lucy Dreaming and The Blind Prophet releasing recently it’s a good time for those who enjoy puzzle-solving and slapping items together. Alongside brand new titles we’re also seeing several slightly older titles finally being ported, including many more niche indies deserving of a second chance.
One such title is Smile for Me, an “unconventional” point and click – or should I call it a nod and shake? – with a highly unique sense of style. Can this 2019 wonder compete with more well-known titles within the console space?
Smile for Me is about a wellness retreat called the Habitat. Opened by an eccentric entrepreneur known as Doctor Habit, the supposed goal of the establishment is to treat people’s sadness and make them smile once again. You play as a florist – affectionately known as “flower kid” – on their first day in the retreat.
Immediately it’s clear that something isn’t quite right; with similar creepy vibes to things like Little Inferno and certain early youtube series like Salad Fingers and Don’t Hug Me. Cute on the surface, but with something sinister lurking in the background; and if you don’t like puppets you will really struggle with the intro.
Your aim is simply to explore the Habitat, making the other residents happy where you can and learning more about the world around you. Unlike many other similar titles, however, you’re on a timer. As the sun sets, you begin to feel unusually tired and will pass out if you’re not in your room, so you need to ensure you’re back in time or prepared to face the consequences.
You also only have a limited number of days in which to explore and cheer up your new friends, as Doctor Habit keeps teasing an upcoming “Big Event” which will eradicate the frowns of all involved. That couldn’t possibly be an ominously evil plan coming to fruition, could it?
I won’t go any further into spoiler territory, but I found the overall storytelling of Smile for Me to be incredibly strong. Character-driven plot development is a fine art to hone, but LimboLane did a great job ensuring that interactions are meaningful and add to the player’s experience.
The writing also straddles the line between whimsical and ominous very well, creating a sense of creeping dread as you spend more and more time in the Habitat. Overall, I found the plot to be engaging enough to keep me pushing through and memorable even after the end credits.
The gameplay of Smile for Me consists of talking to various characters, interacting with items and generally solving a number of puzzles. What makes it unique in the adventure space is the fact it’s first person with a silent protagonist. All of the usual controls are there – you can pick up items, interact with them, combine them and use them on both characters and the world around you, but it’s all done from an eye-level perspective.
Conversations are conducted using two simple responses – nodding and shaking your head. I won’t lie, this took a while to get my head around, but doing so really helped to pull me into the role of Flower Kid and eventually felt as natural as pressing a button. The puzzles are unusually varied – with some requiring you to simply take an object somewhere else, but with others requiring deeper thinking, reactive trial and error and mental problem-solving.
Unfortunately, some of these do fall foul of AGL (Adventure Game Logic) and can be a pain to crack without help – even for experienced players. Far too often I found myself frustrated with being unable to do something which seemed obvious, only to later discover that there was a seemingly arbitrary wall preventing my solution from working at that moment. Thankfully, as the game progresses these issues become less common, but the first hour or so felt trickier than I think was intended.
The aesthetic of Smile for Me is a real treat and was what initially attracted me to it. It feels rather cutesy and crafty but with a creeping undercurrent of dread. It reminds me of things like Psychonauts, Don’t Hug Me, Undertale and early Adult Swim shows in its mixed-media, heavily stylised approach. You could even call it surrealist in approach, and it’s pulled off flawlessly. This extends to the sound design too – with backwards gobbledygook speech and rapidly changing music underpinning the evolving nature of the Habitat.
Smile for Me isn’t going to be for everyone. It’s a very eccentric, experimental game which toys with some pretty uncomfortable and oppressive themes. It’s both funny and skin-crawling, with some really unique puzzling and a great plot. You’re going to need to persevere at times to get through the trickier problems, but if you can handle that you’re in for a short but satisfying treat.
Smile For Me Trailer
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