Candleman

That's the unpredictable allure to Candleman. Its obvious hook is in its unique mechanic, but that's not enough to carry it to the conclusion. Then, there's a Rudy-like emotional investment that takes over when everything stops revolving around gameplay. Fittingly, Candleman burns out prematurely. But, that doesn't mean that it stops shining.

This is a genuinely enjoyable platformer with a wonderfully mysterious atmosphere.

Candleman is the first true surprise of 2017.

Overall, Candleman is a wonderful experience for anyone who enjoys platform games or just great artwork, even in a simpler form. It is a cute and inspirational game that is easy to pick up and play through a section as needed, or binge it all in one sitting.

Candleman is a simple game with a charming plot that could not stand out more for both its simplicity and uniqueness. Thanks to its praise-worthy level design Candleman is an experience that can easily become rewarding for anyone who wants to play it even for only 10 minutes, which makes it fit like a charm on the Nintendo Switch. There is not much more to Candleman, though, which is a pity as the game could offer much more if it was more ambitious.

Candleman is a very fun game to play on the go as the short levels allow you to just pick it up and play whenever you feel the need. It’s also easily replayable due to the goals of lighting candles in each level, but overall, it’s a bit short. It’s a shame as I feel like there could have been many more avenues to be explored.

If you’ve yet to experience Candleman on any platform so far, the Switch version is just as good as any other out there. The game is a brilliant indie puzzle platformer which utilises its ‘ten seconds of burn time’ mechanic perfectly, forcing you to be more reserved and cautious than you would be in a standard 3D platformer. As you progress closer to the goal, the mighty Lighthouse, the world becomes much more colourful, spooky, hostile, and daunting. The adventure our little protagonist embarks on is one which everyone should tag along on.

Candleman was a really enjoyable journey to take part in. It still amazes me just how many ideas they were able to branch off the initial basic concept of the ten-second timer and lighting up candles. The game is longer than I expected it to be, but it never overstayed its welcome. It would introduce a location and gimmick, teach you how to use it and test you on it, then move on before ever becoming tedious. Couple that with a nice narrative (with a fantastic ending that made me audibly “aww”) that keeps the player wanting to find out what comes next on the little candle’s journey makes for a solid experience. It feels perfect for the pick-up and go style of the switch with its relatively short level design and easy to understand gameplay. This is a great puzzle platformer to pick up for your switch’s library!

When trying to set your title apart in a crowded Switch eShop having a unique visual hook is a good starting point...

Is Zelda an RPG? Debatable. Is Candleman? No debate.