Typoman: Revised (PC) Review

Typoman: Revised seems to hide all its deep intricacies under the veneer of a platformer. While it contains all the telltale signs of a platformer, it's much more than that. It really is an adventure game, and that distinction is important, especially here. This isn't a series of disjointed levels strung together based loosely on theme. There's clearly a story here, and everywhere you are has a purpose.

With that being said, there is quite a bit of platforming involved, but it's still not the focal point. Typoman: Revised is focused on using words, physically present on the screen, and rearranging them to change the environment. Stumble across the letters "N P O E," and rearrange them to open a nearby door. A lot of the game focuses on this point.

This works well enough, but frequently drags players out of the experience. When a little window appears, the adventure quickly turns into a game of Scrabble. It's quicker mixing the letters in the window than using the avatar to move them around, but it feels a bit disjointed. Either way, though, it can take a while to figure out the word needed. Still, it's not only very fun, but manages to be just thought provoking enough to keep you guessing, without making anyone feel stupid.

That platforming from before, however, is a mixed bag. In general, the titular Typoman feels somewhat heavy, meaning jumps need to be planned very precisely. Most of the time, when wanting to grab a letter, the SPACE button is held down; however, if you want to grab one hanging from the ceiling, it's just a matter of jumping on it. None of this is a deal breaker, but it feels inconsistent when minor parts of the rules get changed.

One other complaint is that while Typoman feels fairly heavy, he frequently misses his jumps. Sometimes he will grab a ledge, and sometimes he just falls to his death. It's generally avoidable, but the occasional reflex heavy section sees a lot of failure due to the weighted nature of the player character. This minor issue makes some moments feel tense, and others feel unfair. Don't take this as a sign of a bad game, though. Typoman: Revised is a smart puzzle platformer that just has a few hang-ups, although they aren't very subtle. Many great games have been able to say the same, and no one, fan of the genre or not, should overlook this little gem.