Squidge Review: A Simple Yet Demanding Platformer

Overview

Squidge presents a minimalist platforming experience that focuses squarely on precision movement and quick reflexes. This straightforward game challenges players to navigate a bouncing yellow blob through increasingly complex obstacle courses. While it doesn't revolutionize the genre, it delivers exactly what it promises: a clean, skill-based challenge that will test your timing and dexterity. The available feedback suggests it's a competently made distraction that shines in short bursts, though it may lack the staying power of more addictive puzzle-platformers.

Each level requires some carefull initial strategising to decide the best way to tackle the level. This is followed by the quick thinking and dexterous keyboard abilities mentioned earlier.

Acidic

Precision Platforming at its Core

At its heart, Squidge is a game of calculated risks and split-second decisions. The core mechanics couldn't be simpler: guide your perpetually bouncing protagonist through treacherous environments filled with instant-death hazards. What begins as straightforward navigation quickly evolves into a demanding test of coordination as players encounter disappearing platforms, bottomless pits, and fields of deadly spikes. The true challenge lies in mastering the jump mechanics – judging both the timing and height of each leap becomes increasingly critical as levels grow more complex.

The game encourages a thoughtful approach where success requires careful observation before action. Players must analyze each level's layout, identify safe pathways, and mentally map their route before executing a sequence of precisely timed jumps. This combination of strategic planning and lightning-fast execution creates satisfying moments when a perfectly timed leap narrowly clears a bed of spikes or lands precisely on a vanishing platform. The controls reportedly respond well to input, rewarding players who develop muscle memory for the blob's unique physics and bounce patterns.

Replay Value Through Score Chasing

Beyond simply completing levels, Squidge offers additional depth through its scoring system. Players can choose between two distinct playstyles: speedrunning through levels as quickly as possible or meticulously collecting every coin scattered throughout the environment. This coin collection mechanic significantly amplifies the difficulty, transforming straightforward paths into complex risk-reward calculations. Suddenly, that direct route to the exit becomes less appealing than a dangerous detour promising valuable points.

The scoring system adds meaningful replayability, encouraging players to revisit completed levels with new strategies to maximize their point totals. Finding optimal coin collection routes while maintaining speed creates engaging secondary challenges that extend the game's longevity. However, this added complexity comes at a cost – the precision required to simultaneously avoid hazards while grabbing coins pushes the difficulty into punishing territory, potentially frustrating players who prefer more relaxed platforming experiences.

Limited Long-Term Appeal

While Squidge executes its core concept competently, it appears to struggle with maintaining player engagement over extended sessions. The game's simplicity becomes a double-edged sword – while the focused gameplay creates intense moments of platforming satisfaction, it also lacks the variety and progression systems that keep players returning to more robust titles in the genre. The visual presentation remains minimal throughout, and without evolving mechanics or power-ups, the experience can start to feel repetitive after multiple levels.

The available feedback suggests Squidge works best as a palate cleanser between more substantial gaming sessions. It delivers quick bursts of challenging platforming that reward precise execution, but doesn't seem to possess the addictive "one more try" quality that defines classic puzzle-platformers. For players seeking a demanding skill test they can enjoy in short sessions, Squidge provides exactly that – just don't expect it to become your next gaming obsession.