Finding Polka: this playable hidden-object book is a blast
Rarely has a game’s art style impressed me as much as that of Finding Polka. And while it doesn’t offer much in terms of gameplay, it’s brimming with great ideas.
Wow, this looks awesome! Right from the off, Finding Polka has me glued to the screen. I watch Friendy play in the park with her sausage dog Jazz. Along the way, the two encounter Polka, the eponymous French bulldog – and Friendy’s dearly missed childhood dog. A wild chase similar to Where’s Waldo? breaks out through the city, a mole tunnel and the belly of a whale. All in the fantastic ballpoint pen style crafted by independent developer Shinnosuke Kumazawa – and with no dialogue to speak of. He drew everything by hand himself and brought it to life in the Unity game engine. Simple, sometimes imperfect strokes and Uchida’s brilliant sound design keep a smile on my face for two and a half hours.
But it’s not just the art style that wins me over: the game is brimming with creative ideas. For example, one time an irrigation drone flies me across a field owned by an anthropomorphic snake. Another time, I glide into the abyss with my umbrella, collecting musical notes along the way and making skeletons dance. Sometimes I completely forget that I’m even playing a walking simulator.
Keep your pooch in check
Your mission’s simple: you want to find Polka. And like Friendy, I’m wondering: is that really my childhood dog or just a look-alike? Why is the furball always running away from me? And why on earth is a Great Dane being kidnapped by moles?
To find that furry friend, all you need is the analogue stick on your controller and a button – though the directional pad would work just as well, since Friendy can only move in eight directions anyway. You use my one button to talk to people, pick up items and perform specific actions, such as those required in mini-games. Most of the time, you explore my surroundings from an isometric perspective. But every so often, the game becomes a side-scroller. It’s a deliberate break that feels right. The game starts out as a side-scroller too, which provides a more cinematic introduction to the story than the isometric perspective would’ve. And on the Moon, that low gravity feeling comes across better in side-scroller mode.
On the whole, the gameplay is very simple. Even a five-year-old could manage. Which is definitely a good thing, since this means it can be played by people from all walks of life. Incidentally, Kumazawa also sought advice from his kids as playtesters during development, incorporating their feedback into the final game.
Get lost in the fun
In the first section, I’m still annoyed that I can’t explore freely. Everywhere I go, I encounter obstacles like barriers, other people and even a giraffe. But over time, I’ve realised I can get just about anywhere – simply by going the long way around. Exploring is everything. It’s just so much fun – I could lose myself in the details for hours. Apparently, Kumazawa filled some 400 sketch pages with people, objects and buildings using his trusty ballpoint pen. Along the way, I also came across this gem:
Quizzical quests and mini-games
As I explore, I encounter voracious cats, desperate lovers and fallen stars in desperate need of a hand. Most of the time, I can complete simple fetch quests for them. But these tasks always feel fresh thanks to the hidden-object-book gameplay. Some are simple. One of the first has me grabbing a drink for a desperately thirsty man. I’m tempted to call him an alcoholic, given he’s lying drunk in the gutter. I find his prize in an adjacent backyard. But when it comes to fetching ants for some anteaters – who apparently prefer having their food delivered – I have to take a closer look. Anyone who enjoys hidden-object books will love Finding Polka, discovering all kinds of quirkiness along the way. Most of these quests are optional, others are essential for progressing.
Mini-games occasionally interrupt this cycle. Again, some are optional, while others are required. The latter group includes, for example, an adaptation of Space Invaders in which Friendy and Jazz follow Polka to the moon. Meanwhile, an optional mini-game has me blindly chopping up a melon. It all adds variety and is fun.
Finding Polka has been available for PC via Steam since 12 August. Parco Games provided me with a copy for review purposes.
In a nutshell
Forget about winning, just enjoy the spectacle
Pro
- Beautiful, hand-drawn ballpoint pen art direction
- Impressive attention to detail
- Brilliant sound design
- Creative, varied ideas
- Accessible to all ages thanks to its simple gameplay
Contra
- Some fetch quests feel repetitive
From big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.
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